Stars of Glory
by World of Make Believe
Summary: I've changed the title. Anyways, this is what I think might happen if Hollyleaf were reincarnated as one of Cinderheart's kits. Anyways, please read and LEAVE a review, after all, I took the time to write it! COMPLETE!
1. Allegiances

**A/N: I thought about doing this after reading Sunrise. I believe Hollyleaf deserves a second chance in life, and so I've posted this. Please read, this is the summary:**

**Sumary: A new threat has arose in ThunderClan. Now with only two of Firestar's kin, there is nothing from stopping the darkness. But one kit may change that all. She was chosen by StarClan to become a cat from a past, a past that would forever haunt the Clan.**

~Allegiances~

ThunderClan

Leader: Bramblestar - dark brown tabby tom with amber eyes  
apprentice, Mosspaw

Deputy: Brackenfur - golden brown tabby tom

Medicine Cat: Jayfeather - gray tabby tom with blue eyes

WARRIORS:

Squirrelflight - dark ginger she-cat with green eyes

Cloudtail - long-haired white tom with blue eyes

Sorreltail - tortoiseshell-and-white she-cat with amber eyes

Thornclaw - golden brown tabby tom  
apprentice, Leafpaw

Brightheart - white she-cat with ginger patches

Spiderleg - long-legged black tom with a brown underbelly and amber eyes

Whitewing - white she-cat with green eyes  
apprentice, Kernpaw

Birchfall - light brown tabby tom

Berrynose - cream-colored tom  
apprentice, Muskedpaw

Hazeltail - small gray-and-white she-cat

Poppyfrost - tortoiseshell she-cat

Lionblaze - golden tabby tom with amber eyes  
apprentice, Cragpaw

Foxwhisker - reddish-tabby tom

Icestorm - white she-cat

Toadfur - black-and-white tom

Rosefoot - dark cream she-cat

Bumblestripe - very pale gray tom with black stripes

Blossomleaf - pale brown she-cat with a dark stripe along her spine

APPRENTICES:

Mosspaw - gray tabby tom

Cragpaw - pale gray tom with white paws

Leafpaw - dark brown she-cat

Kernpaw - small dusky brown she-cat

Muskedpaw - dark brown tabby tom

QUEENS:

Millie - elderly striped gray she-cat, mother of Graystripe's kit: Rainkit

Cinderheart - gray tabby she-cat, mother of Lionblaze's kits: Hollykit(black she-cat with green eyes) and Lynxkit(light brown tabby tom)

Briarleaf - dark brown she-cat, expecting

ELDERS:

Longtail - pale tabby tom with dark black stripes

Dustpelt - dark brown tabby tom

Sandstorm - pale ginger she-cat with green eyes

SHADOWCLAN

Leader: Russetstar - dark ginger she-cat

Deputy: Dawnfrost - cream-furred she-cat  
apprentice, Flowerpaw(tortoiseshell-and-white she-cat)

Medicine Cat: Flametail - ginger tom

WARRIORS:

Rowanclaw - ginger tom

Smokefoot - black tom  
apprentice, Brindlepaw(tabby she-cat)

Toadfoot - dark brown tom  
apprentice, Lichenpaw(mottled dark brown tom)

Crowfrost - black-and-white tom

Kinkfur - tabby she-cat with fur that sticks out in all angles  
apprentice, Snakepaw(dark brown tabby tom with unusually long claws)

Whitewater - white she-cat with long fur, blind in one eye

Tawnypelt - tortoiseshell she-cat

Owlflight - light brown tabby tom  
apprentice, Pinepaw(small gray-and-white tom)

Shrewfoot - gray she-cat with black feet

Scorchfur - dark gray tom  
apprentice, Lizardpaw(pale tabby she-cat)

Tigerheart - dark brown tabby tom

Snowbird - pure white she-cat

QUEENS:

Ivytail - black, white, and tortoiseshell she-cat, mother of Cloverkit, Mintkit and Stormkit

Olivebranch - tortoiseshell she-cat, expecting

ELDERS:

Oakfur - small brown tom

Cedarheart - dark gray tom

WINDCLAN

Leader: Ashstar - gray she-cat

Deputy: Whitetail - small white she-cat

Medicine Cat: Kestrelwing - mottled gray tom  
apprentice, Branchpaw(golden brown tabby tom)

WARRIORS:

Crowfeather - dark gray tom  
apprentice, Rustpaw(ginger tom)

Owlwhisker - light brown tabby tom

Gorsetail - very pale gray-and-white she-cat with blue eyes  
apprentice, Creekpaw(pale gray she-cat)

Weaselfur - ginger tom with white paws

Harespring - brown-and-white tom  
apprentice, Sparrowpaw(dark brown tabby she-cat)

Leaftail - dark tabby tom with amber eyes

Dewspots - spotted gray tabby she-cat

Willowclaw - gray she-cat

Antpelt - brown tom with one black ear  
apprentice, Specklepaw(tortoiseshell she-cat with ginger paws)

Emberfoot - gray tom with two paws

Breezepelt - black tom

Sunmask - tortoiseshell she-cat with large white mark on her forehead

Thistletail - long-haired white tom  
apprentice, Rapidpaw(black tom)

Swallowflight - dark gray she-cat

QUEENS:

Sedgepelt - light brown tabby she-cat, mother of Hawkkit(tawny-colored tom) and Mousekit(small sand-colored she-cat)

Heathertail - light brown tabby she-cat with blue eyes, mother of Breezepelt's kits: Brownkit(brown-and-cream she-cat), Sagekit(pale gray tom) and Eaglekit(brown-and-white tom)

ELDERS:

Webfoot - dark gray tabby tom

Tornear - tabby tom

RIVERCLAN

Leader: Mistystar - gray she-cat with blue eyes

Deputy: Voletooth - small brown tabby tom

Medicine Cat: Willowshine - gray tabby she-cat

WARRIORS:

Reedwhisker - black tom  
apprentice, Shellpaw(blue-gray she-cat with white paws and a white underbelly)

Beechfur - light brown tom

Graymist - pale gray tabby

Dapplenose - mottled gray she-cat

Pouncetail - ginger-and-white tom  
apprentice, Coalpaw(smoky black tom)

Mintfur - light gray tabby tom

Icewing - white she-cat with blue eyes

Pinefur - short-haired tabby she-cat

Rainstorm - mottled blue gray tom  
apprentice, Sandpaw(light brown tabby she-cat)

Duskfur - brown tabby she-cat

Pebblenose - mottled gray tom

Minnowtail - gray-and-white she-cat

Mallowwhisker - light brown tabby tom

Nettleclaw - dark brown tabby tom  
apprentice, Drizzlepaw(ginger she-cat)

Sneezepelt - gray-and-white tom

Robinwing - tortoiseshell-and-white tom

Beetlefur - small white tom

Pricklenose - tortoiseshell she-cat

Petaltail - light brown tabby she-cat

Grassfang - white tom with green eyes

QUEENS:

Mosspelt - tortoiseshell she-cat with blue eyes, expecting

Copperstripe - dark ginger she-cat, mother of Brightkit and Bouncekit

ELDERS:

Blackclaw - smoky black tom

Swallowtail - dark tabby she-cat

Stonestream - gray tom


	2. Prologue

**A/N: Okay, so here's the prologue. I am hoping this story will go well, so please review so I can update!**

~Prologue~

Darkness began to creep over the forest, like a blanket of shadows. Soon, stars began to gleam over a pool that seemed to glow like the stars. No moon showed though, and for a moment, it looked as though the stars were moving. They began to grow closer and closer, until the bright light was almost blinding.

But then the light faded, and all of a sudden a ginger cat with a flame-colored pelt poked his head out of a fern bush. His pelt gleamed like stars, and when he moved, the grass glittered. His green eyes flashed as he looked around warily, until he padded to the paws. He raised his tail, and as if on signal, more cats emerged from the bushes that surrounded the forest. All of their pelts gleamed like stars. They all looked up at the ginger tom expectantly, as if he were their leader.

"Darkness is coming," he muttered as he looked at the pool. "StarClan has spoken their words. One cat must be chosen to go back to the Clans and save history from repeating itself." Though his voice was calm, he felt it crack under his tense figure.

A blue-gray she-cat stood up; her tail flicked from side to side, and her blue eyes gleamed as she looked into the pool. "Firestar, may I choose for the Clan?" She asked in a hushed voice.

Surprise flickered between Firestar and a small dark tortoiseshell she-cat. He had spent most of his time with her now, knowing that he would be with her for the rest of eternity, or until the light of StarClan faded. He nodded patiently, and the blue-gray she-cat stood up. She dipped her silver-tinged muzzle into the pool, and watched as its' ripples grew larger and larger. In the pool, an image began to form.

Yowls of shock lifted into the air, most came from the cats crouching near the pool. The others tried to crane their heads so they could get a better view. A mottled pale gray tom with icy blue eyes glared at her, fury seering from deep within.

"This is the same cat who killed me," he spat. "Why would you bring back a traitor?"

The blue-gray she-cat held his icy stare, long enough for him to look away. "We had more then one traitor in the Clan, just waiting to strike," she meowed softly.

"That is true, Bluestar," Firestar dipped his head to his former mentor. "Ashfur, you were about to kill the kits of a once great cat." His voice faltered a little at the end of his speech.

"But that cat walks in a different forest," Ashfur pointed out. "How could you possibly bring her back?" His yowl was more of a demand. Most of the others behind him were looking at each other with uncertain faces. Finally Bluestar looked furious and began to lash her tail from side to side.

"She was loyal until _you _came around," Bluestar pointed out.

When Ashfur argued no further, Bluestar's fur began to lay flat again. She glanced at Firestar, who was still staring at the black shape in the pool. His green eyes were full of anxiety, and yet appreciation. "She will not know what's happened to her," he began. "And she will be born as a kit, with no memory of her past."

With that, the pool vibrated once, and the image quickly disappeared. Firestar raised his head to the sky, and a bright light filled the forest once again. The clearing was now still, except for the wind that blew across it.

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**A/N: Okay, I want to know what you thought of this prologue, as I had a hard time coming up with one for this type of fic. Please let me know!!!**


	3. Chapter 1

~Chapter 1~

Hollykit's whiskers twitched as a leaf landed on them. She blinked her green eyes open, wondering what was going on. The pale rays of sunlight greeted her as dawn quickly approached. Rocky walls surrounded her, and the scent of her Clanmates writhed around her nose. This was her home, ThunderClan. She felt the sun warm her black pelt, and she purred at the feeling. It made her happy, unlike the times when her brother Lynxkit would always pounce on her.

"Hollykit, are you coming or not?" Lynxkit's mew made her look over to him.

The light brown tabby, though he looked completely different from her, had the same mother. He was as strong as she was, and had the same fighting skills. He looked at her questioningly, and Hollykit quickly followed him. They soon reached the fresh-kill pile, which was fairly small. It consisted of a mouse, two voles, and a young rabbit. Muskedpaw, a dark brown tabby tom, and the youngest apprentice in ThunderClan was crouched over a sparrow. His eyes narrowed when he spotted the two kits, and he quickly snatched the last bit of meat on it. Hollykit watched with wide eyes, wondering if she too would be able to find prey like that and eat it.

"Hi Muskedpaw, how are things going with training?" Lynxkit asked with a wave of his tail.

Muskedpaw had been in the nursery along with Lynxkit and Hollykit before he became an apprentice. He was close friends with Lynxkit, but he never really bothered with Hollykit. She felt closer towards Rainkit, Millie's last kit. The pale blue-gray tom was always keeping an eye on her, and never let her go out without asking her mother Cinderheart for permission. Even though it was annoying, she knew he was only looking after her.

"Things are going great!" Muskedpaw finally replied. "Berrynose just taught me how to defend myself against a badger," he added.

"Wow, do you think you can show us?" Hollykit asked. Her voice was an excited squeak as she spoke, and Muskedpaw narrowed his eyes.

"Sorry but you're too young to learn how to do it," he muttered. "In fact, you two should be getting back to the nursery, Cinderheart will be worried," he added with a grin.

Hollykit glared at him, too angry to reply. But Lynxkit only looked interested and nodded. "We were just going to grab something to eat," he meowed.

Her brother grabbed one of the mice and Hollykit stumbled after him, glowering at the ground. She padded over to Cinderheart, who was sunning herself on a boulder next to Millie. Rainkit was dabbing a white paw at a leaf lazily. His amber eyes gleamed as he looked up.

"Hollykit, did you two get the fresh-kill?" He asked.

When she nodded, Rainkit purred and curled closer to his mother. Millie was getting older and older now. Her muzzle was now turning silver, and her eyes seemed to stare off distantly. Ever since Graystripe died, she had never been the same.

Hollykit began to devour the fresh-kill, remembering how hungry she was. Soon, she would be an apprentice of ThunderClan. Bramblestar said that Rainkit would be made an apprentice the same day, and she was almost relieved to hear that. She knew how much he wanted to train with her and Lynxkit.

With a sigh of content after she had her fill, Hollykit curled up next to Cinderheart, who was purring at her. But almost as soon as Hollykit began to sleep, another meow broke their happiness. It was Lionblaze, their father.

He was always far more serious then Hollykit thought he should be. He was also strong and powerful; Lynxkit had inherited his strength.

"So Bramblestar said he'd be holding their ceremonies tomorrow morning," he was meowing to Cinderheart and Millie.

Both she-cats let out sighs of relief, as though they couldn't handle another day with kits. Hollykit immediately opened her eyes and bounded over to the golden tabby tom, green eyes sparkling with excitement.

"Who will be our mentors?" She asked.

Lionblaze shook his head; his gaze was full of amusement. "I'm not sure," he replied. "That's for Bramblestar to decide." With that, he licked Cinderheart's cheek, brushed his tail gently over Hollykit's shoulder and padded away to join a patrol.

Despite the excitement that coursed through her, Hollykit curled up and began to sleep. This time no voices haunted her sleep, but she could feel as though many cats were watching her. It was the same feeling she had when she first opened her eyes.

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"Let all cats old enough gather around the Highledge for a Clan meeting!" Bramblestar's yowl rang throughout camp.

Hollykit's paws were dancing now, and her fur was standing on end because of her excitement. Today she would be moving out of the nursery, and she couldn't wait. Most of the Clan had gathered by now, though a couple of warriors; Berrynose and his apprentice Muskedpaw returned a little after Bramblestar started the meeting.

"It is time for one of my favorite duties," the dark brown tabby tom began. "By naming apprentices, we show that the Clan will remain strong." His level stare flickered towards the three kits who crouched by their mother. "Come forward you three," he flicked his tail to make them come forward.

Hollykit bounced over, while Rainkit, whose tail was quivering, took a small step after her. Lynxkit followed more slowly, though his eyes were also glowing.

"Rainkit, from this moment forward, you will be known as Rainpaw. You have chosen a special path, and I expect Jayfeather to teach you everything that has been taught to him."

The blue-gray tom's eyes gleamed as he stepped forward to meet his new mentor. Hollykit knew that Rainpaw had wanted to become a medicine cat, ever since Jayfeather came in to help Cinderheart when she had whitecough. Hollykit was proud of her friend, and she hoped that he would learn well.

"Lynxkit, from this moment forward, until you have received your warrior name, you will be known as Lynxpaw. Sorreltail, you are ready for an apprentice. You have done well with Briarleaf, and I expect you to pass this on to Lynxpaw."

Lynxpaw padded over to meet the tortoiseshell-and-white warrior's gaze. Hollykit knew that Sorreltail was not only a great mentor, but a great mother as well. She had helped Mille with Hollykit and her brother when Cinderheart had to move to the medicine cat's den. Sorreltail was also Cinderheart's mother.

"Hollykit, from this moment forward, until you have received your warrior name, you will be known as Hollypaw. Brackenfur," their was an exchanged glance by the two warriors, and something Hollypaw didn't know, "you are ready for an apprentice. You have trained many apprentices, and I expect you to pass on what you learned to Hollypaw."

When Hollypaw touched noses with the golden brown tabby warrior, the Clan began to chant their names. "Rainpaw! Lynxpaw! Hollypaw!"

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**A/N: Okay, short ending I know. Anyways, thanks Emberheart0 for reviewing, you rock my world! And I just realized that I forgot to add Mousewhisker to ThunderClan's allegiance, so he's there. He's also Briarleaf's mate in case anyone is wondering. As for Daisy, I just sort of killed her off. Please don't get mad at me for this, but it was high time she did.**


	4. Chapter 2

**A/N: Wow, I can't believe I already have six reviews. One of them was mine, yes, but I felt like reviewing my own story. Anyways, special thanks to Emberheart0, CRAZYREADER96, and xxouchibitmytonguexx!**

~Chapter 2~

Hollypaw's eyes scanned the apprentice's den as she tried to think of where to put her nest. Lynxpaw was already out in the forest with his mentor Sorreltail, Hollypaw wanted to go out just as much as he did, but she wanted to also make sure she had a better nest then him. Cragpaw was sleeping in his nest, his fur rising slowly in a deep slumber. Every now and then his leg would twitch, and it made Hollypaw stifle a murmur of amusement. She gazed past him and saw a place that had a warm patch of sunlight gleaming on it. Hollypaw decided to make her nest there.

When that was settled, Hollypaw bounded out, nearly running into Brackenfur. His eyes gleamed with humor as she curled her tail. "I remember when my last apprentice would do that," he murmured. His amber eyes were suddenly soft as he gazed at the clouds in the sky.

Curiosity made Hollypaw's ears prick. "What was her name?" She asked in a low voice.

"Her name was...Hollyleaf," he replied.

The young black she-cat gasped at the name. She had only heard it once, when Cinderheart told her of the old days back when she had been an apprentice herself. Cinderheart said that Hollyleaf went mad and murdered Ashfur, another warrior of ThunderClan. She had confessed to the Clans that Leafpool and Crowfeather were her parents, and the whole Clan had been in utter chaos. Hollypaw shuddered as she wondered how any cat could turn out like that.

"Lets go," Brackenfur suddenly mewed. He led the way towards the tunnel entrance, with Hollypaw close behind.

Her eyes were still clouded with the confusion of the whole story. But she shook the thoughts away and bounded after him when his tail disappeared into a bramble bush.

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Sunlight filtered through the green-leaf thick trees as Hollypaw bounded through the forest. She could hear the calls of birds as they began to search for prey, just as she was doing. Today was her third day as an apprentice, and she had done exceptionally well so far.

Brackenfur taught her how to attack a ShadowClan warrior, and today he was showing her how to catch a squirrel. It took a lot of skill and stalking experience to close enough to one, and Hollypaw was looking forward to her first catch.

"Now the best way to hunt a squirrel is to drive them away from trees," Brackenfur was explaining. "They're known for their climbing skills, so that's where they will be headed." His ears pricked just as a squirrel climbed down an ash tree.

As if to prove his point, the golden brown tabby crouched down low. As the squirrel edged further and further away from the tree, Brackenfur stalked towards it. Suddenly he leaped after it, and without warning pinned the squirrel down with one claw. As the gray-brown creature struggled about, he bit its' neck. Hollypaw watched as its' life eventually ebbed away, and saw the blood trickle towards the ground.

Suddenly, she felt claws rake her side. Hollypaw gasped as she felt a sharp pain on her neck, and she began to feel a terror that made her paws itch to run. She was about to wail until she felt Brackenfur's tail touch her shoulder.

"_That's _how you catch a squirrel," he meowed.

His eyes darkened in concern when Hollypaw didn't reply. She was still trembling as she recalled what happened. "Are you okay Hollypaw?" He asked in a quiet voice.

When Hollypaw finally blinked, she pressed her paw on her neck. When she looked at it, her eyes widened in surprise as no blood showed. _How did that happen? _She wondered as she shivered. Had she been watching through the eyes of the squirrel as it died? Her heart thudded as she realized that Brackenfur was still staring at her, alarm now flaring in his eyes.

"I'm fine," she mumbled. "Just concerned on the squirrel's behalf," she added with a weak smile.

The ginger warrior seemed to buy it, and he nodded. "Good, well lets see what you can do," he replied. "I want to know how good your hunting skills are."

Panic flashed through Hollypaw at the mention of showing him. She didn't know whether or not that horrible vision would be triggered again. But she had no choice, and dropped to a crouch, looking around for something that could be caught. A few heartbeats later, and a vole poked its' head through a bolt hole.

Hollypaw watched as it began to look through the fallen leaves that were scattered around the ground. She knew that it was most likely searching for roots, a delicacy to them. With a silent twitch of her whiskers, Hollypaw began to stalk towards it. The vole was completely unaware of her presence, and soon, she was almost right behind it. But just as she was about to lunge, the wind changed direction. The vole stiffened as it sniffed the air, and let out a startled squeal as its' blind eyes fixated towards where Hollypaw was located. It immediately turned and ran straight towards its' bolt hole, while Hollypaw hissed in frustration.

"That was bad luck," mewed Brackenfur was he approached. "The wind changing direction and all. It shouldn't have happened."

Soon the two cats returned to camp. Though Brackenfur offered Hollypaw to take the squirrel back, she refused. If she were to become a good warrior, she would have to do so by catching her own prey.

As Brackenfur deposited the squirrel on the fresh-kill pile, he meowed to Hollypaw, "why don't you help Muskedpaw clean out the elders' den. Then you can have something to eat."

With a glance towards the dark brown tabby apprentice, who was searching Dustpelt's fur for ticks, Hollypaw groaned inwardly. The last thing she wanted was to work with him, but she knew Brackenfur would be furious if she did not listen.

She padded over and began to roll of the dirty moss that covered the floor of the den. Sandstorm was sharing tongues with Longtail, currently the oldest cat in ThunderClan. He turned his pale sightless eyes towards her and meowed, "Muskedpaw already cleared out my nest, you just have to collect the moss."

Hollypaw flicked her tail, grateful that the older apprentice was at least keeping quiet. She trotted out into the forest in search of fresh moss when a voice called in her head. _You could do better things then this, _the voice whispered. Hollypaw shook her head, trying to break free of the thought. _No, I will do things at my own pace, _she whispered back defiantly. The voice hissed in her head as it whispered, _You are better then this. You are destined for greatness, unlike that sniveling coward called an apprentice._

At that moment Hollypaw knew the voice was talking about Muskedpaw. She glared into the uknown, her eyes gleaming with anger. _Muskedpaw is a loyal ThunderClan warrior, _she thought. _He is NOT a coward, and he WILL become a warrior. _With her tail lashing with determination, she gathered up the moss that she found and stalked back to camp.

When she placed the moss on the nests, she backed out of the den, with Muskedpaw watching her. Curiosity gleamed in his amber eyes as she stared back. "You took a long time out there," he muttered.

"I was...thinking to myself," Hollypaw lied. She didn't want him of all cats to know about the conversation that went on in her head. When Muskedpaw made no comments, the black she-cat padded towards the fresh-kill pile.

She saw that somone had taken the squirrel Brackenfur caught, and sighed. _Why can't I be a good hunter like him? _She wondered as she picked through the remains. All that was left was a sparrow and a magpie. Hollypaw took the scrawny looking sparrow, hoping to appease the Clan by taking the oldest looking bit of fresh-kill. At least someone who _needed _it could take the plump looking magpie.

As she ate, Hollypaw contemplated over the days' events. Her vision before had horrified her, but now she was thinking that it must have just been something she ate ealier. There had been no sign of blood, and as for the voice, Hollypaw blamed it on lack of sleep. Tomorrow, things would be normal again.

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**A/N: I was just checking to see how many hits my story got, and I was almost shocked to the point of silence when I saw there were over 100! People, review! If you want to read this story, you're gonna have to leave a review!**


	5. Chapter 3

**A/N: Wow, I got two reviews already, but I still have 119 hits:( Please can you review? I'll be nice to you if you do...Anyways, thanks CRAZYREADER96 and Hollyleaf_supporter_985 for reviewing!**

~Chapter 3~

Hollypaw's eyes stretched wide as Brackenfur landed on the ground, spiraling as he did so. His legs landed heavily, and he staggered a little as he did so. A sun had passed since Hollypaw's fearful vision, and she had slowly begun to push to the back of her mind. And the voice in her head, though it was strong, had also vanished like dew under the sun. Hollypaw knew that if she told someone from the Clan, they would think she was nuts. But she felt as though she should tell someone, despite what the Clan would think.

"Hollypaw are you listening?" Brackenfur's meow broke her concentration. The black apprentice looked at him questionably, and the ginger tom let out a sigh. "I was showing you what _not _to do when fighting a WindClan warrior. They will fight from below, and take any advantage they can," he explained.

Her claws flexed on the ground at the mention of WindClan. Ever since Ashstar had taken over, the Clan had been fairly peaceful. But she knew that it would only be a matter of time before they decided to attack ThunderClan. Since Onestar, one of the cats who went on the journey to the lake, took over, the Clan had never been the same.

_But then, no one has, _Hollypaw thought as she shook her head. She rose her gaze to stare at Brackenfur, who looked concerned again.

"Why don't we go hunting for a bit," he mewed softly. "I bet you could catch lots of prey over at the Ancient Oak," he added with an excited grin.

Brackenfur always got excited at the thoughts of hunting. Ever since Sandstorm moved to the elders' den, he had become the best hunter in the Clan, aside from Squirrelflight, Sandstorm's daughter. Hollypaw knew that he was proud of his skills, and she hoped she would get as good as him.

She followed him towards the Ancient Oak, and already prey-scent lay thick in the air. Hollypaw soon spotted a shrew that was digging in the ground. Its' head was submerged in the dirt, and so were its' ears and nose. It would be an easy catch for her, all she had to do was get closer. She began to stalk towards it, well aware now of the winds' direction. She knew that it could change at any time, so she had to do this right.

With one more cautious step forward, she pounced. With a startled squeal, the shrew writhed beneath her teeth, but it could not escape from her strong grasp. Suddenly, Hollypaw felt a sharp pain on her neck. She let out a gasp of shock as it drove into her skin, and the stench of blood clung into the air.

The black apprentice lashed her tail, thinking, _What's wrong with me? _She sent a silent prayer of thanks to StarClan that the shrew was dead, and could not get away. But the pain was more intense now, and she clutched the ground with her claws.

Suddenly a yowl split the air, so loud that it made Hollypaw jump, despite the pain on her neck. "Hollypaw! Are you okay?" Brackenfur's yowl reached her ears, and she slowly rose to her paws. The pain was dieing now, slowly but steadily.

"I-I..." Hollypaw couldn't think of the words that described what she had just witnessed. Now it didn't seem like a bad piece of fresh-kill bothered her. It was much worse then that. She looked at the golden brown tabby in despair, and began to race through the forest, hearing his yowls stretch after her. Hollypaw didn't care where her paws took her, so long as she could find the answers to the pain she felt when she killed something.

Soon her paws reached a hill that was covered in thick undergrowth. Hollypaw thought for a moment that she could hear a stream gurgling nearby, but she wasn't sure. She padded up the hill, and then all of a sudden it sloped downhill. The gurgling stream grew louder, and now Hollypaw thought she heard a waterfall running. She moved further and further, until her paws reached the edge of a pool. Hollypaw's eyes widened as she realized that this must be the famous Moonpool, a sacred place where medicine cats went to share tongues with StarClan. _But why would my path lead me here? _She wondered as she stared at the sparkling water.

Without thinking about it, Hollypaw crouched down next to the Moonpool and lapped at the water. Suddenly an icy cold feeling surged through her spine, making her fur stand on end. But then her eyes closed, and then Hollypaw was asleep.

The moment Hollypaw opened her eyes, she found herself in an unfamiliar place. The forest was dark, and fungous grew on the trees. It had an eerie glow on it that made Hollypaw shiver. She didn't like this place one bit.

But when she took a step, the forest changed before her eyes. Now, instead of darkness, it was alight with greenleaf thick trees, and the fresh scents of prey filled the air. The sky above Hollypaw's head was bright and warm looking, almost inviting.

"Welcome young Hollypaw, it is an honor to finally meet you," the voice came from behind her. Hollypaw whirled around to face a blue-gray she-cat with dark blue eyes and a silver-tinged muzzle. Her fur was beautiful looking, and it looked as though stars gleamed on it. "I have long awaited for your arrival," she added in a calm, soothing tone.

"But why?" Hollypaw asked. It was one of her favorite questions. Some cat or another would always have to reply to it, and she learned most of her sessions from asking it.

"I chose you to serve under the paws of StarClan," the blue-gray cat explained. "Most cats believed my choice to be rather...irresponsible, but I knew that you would live up to your mother and father's reputation."

Hollypaw blinked and stared at her, stupidity gleaming in her eyes. With a shake of her head, Hollypaw shrugged and stared at her paws.

"Why would you choose me of all cats though?" Hollypaw asked.

"I chose you alone, over all cats," the she-cat began, "because you are wise and caring. You have both a gift and a curse, that you alone must hold."

The image of the blue-furred she-cat suddenly began to vanish. Before Hollypaw could ask more, she was gone. Hollypaw just gaped at the forest as it disappeared along with the she-cat.

Hollypaw blinked her eyes open, and found herself back at the Moonpool. She looked at the sky and saw that the sun was beginning to sink behind the trees. With a sigh, Hollypaw rose to her paws and padded out of the Moonpool. She made her way back to camp, and saw that Brackenfur was waiting for her. She bounded over to her, though she felt like running away from the responsibilities that awaited her.

"Hollypaw, where were you," the golden brown tabby hissed.

His eyes showed no anger, though he looked worried. After drawling a deep breathe, Hollypaw replied, "I was...deciding what to do next." She didn't really know what to say, just that she knew that she couldn't tell him what she had just witnessed. "I didn't realize that I was moving away from you," she added, hoping she looked innocent enough for him.

When Brackenfur simply nodded and began to lead the way back to camp, Hollypaw let out a sigh of relief. Then she noticed the shrew that she had caught. The black she-cat sent a silent prayer of thanks to StarClan for letting her off so easy. She joined him quickly into camp, then fed the shrew she caught to Briarleaf. After that, Hollypaw curled up in the apprentices' den, hoping that she would be able to cope with what she had learned.

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**Okay, I know that it was a crappy ending, but I was sort of rushing through. Anyways, I hoped you liked it. And remember what I said before, if you click on the stories link, then you will have to review it.**


	6. Chapter 4

**A/N: Wow, I now have 13 reviews! But I still saw that I have 146 hits on my story, so people, PLEASE review. Anyways, thanks Emberheart0, CRAZYREADER96, and Hollyleaf_supporter_985 or reviewing, you guys are the greatest!**

~Chapter 4~

"Great catch Hollypaw!" Brackenfur's purr rang in Hollypaw's ears as she ignored the claws that seemed to slice through her pelt. She had just caught her first squirrel, and the pain felt worse then usual. But now she was getting used to it, and she felt as though she were finally understanding what was happening. When the pain ended, Hollypaw padded over to him and dropped the squirrel at his paws.

"Do you think Briarleaf will want this?" She asked. Briarleaf had given birth last night to four healthy kits. Their names were Flowerkit, a tortoiseshell she-cat, Mosskit, a pale brown tom, Hazekit, a gray tabby tom, and Lightningkit, a tabby she-cat with streaks of black on her fur. Hollypaw had been the first to see the kits, since Rainpaw, Jayfeather's apprentice allowed her to help. She had been so proud of herself to see the tiny bundles of fur for the first time.

Nearly four suns had passed since her journey to the Moonpool, and things were beginning to slow down. Hollypaw's training continued, and she was getting better and better. Lynxpaw was growing stronger, but he wasn't wise like she was. He would often get himself into trouble while he was out in the forest. At one point, he had even gotten stuck in a tree root after trying to chase a mouse. He returned back to camp that night, grumbling to himself about mice acting like stupid furballs.

Brackenfur licked Hollypaw's ear and looked at her with gleaming amber eyes. He had been proud of her since she'd gotten better, and though Hollypaw wondered what would happen if she did badly, she was still pleased with him.

"Sure, Briarleaf is bound to be hungry so lets go," he meowed.

Hollypaw picked up her fresh-kill. It consisted of the squirrel she had caught, two mice, and a vole. All and all, it was a big catch for her. Just as she was about to carry her prey back, Lynxpaw was leaving with Mousewhisker, Icestorm and his mentor Sorreltail. He grunted a little when he saw her catch, and bounded after the three older warriors. Hollypaw hid her amusement and dropped her catch on the fresh-kill pile. Then she grabbed the squirrel and trotted over to the nursery.

She poked her head inside, and felt warmth envelope over her. It also smelled milky, something Hollypaw would never grow tired of. Briarleaf was sprawled out, with her four kits suckling at her belly. Hazekit, who was the smallest of the bunch was mewling loudly. Hollypaw dropped the squirrel near Briarleaf and mewed, "what's wrong with him?"

The dark brown she-cat's eyes were wide and anxious as she spoke. "I don't know. I took a quick nap and then he started mewling," she replied in a low voice. "I tried licking him, pressing him closer, but nothing seems to be working."

Suddenly Hazekit sneezed. Hollypaw stared at the gray tabby with wide eyes, and began to sniff him. His fur was warm, but after Briarleaf had begun to lick it, there was a different smell to it. _You can kill it now, get it over with, _a voice whispered in her head. Hollypaw shook it, hoping to get rid of the horrible voice.

"I'll go and fetch Jayfeather or Rainpaw. I'm sure they know what's wrong with him," she mewed.

The black she-cat dashed out of the nursery, her fur fluffed up in terror. She _had _to help save Hazekit, no matter what. She dashed towards the medicine cat's den, and saw with dismay that it was empty. The scents of Jayfeather and Rainpaw were stale, so they must have been gone for quite some while ago.

Birchfall was padding over, and she immediately whirled on him, green eyes flared in frustration and fear. "Where are Jayfeather and Rainpaw?" She demanded.

The light brown tabby must have noticed the urgency in her voice, because he mewed, "they left to find some more herbs. Why?" He asked.

"Hazekit is sick," Hollypaw gasped as she began to race through the tunnel entrance.

She didn't know whether or not Birchfall would reply, but she didn't care either. What mattered to her was helping Briarleaf's kit. She couldn't imagine how much pain the young queen would be in if Hazekit died. As she followed Rainpaw's familiar scent, the sun began to set.

Hollypaw stopped near the edge of ThunderClan territory. Beyond it was the sweeping moors, which was WindClan's territory. Hollypaw was beginning to wonder if Jayfeather had been mouse-brained enough to cross the border, when a surprised mew sounded behind her. "Hollypaw, what are you doing here?" Rainpaw's voice was the only reassuring thing Hollypaw could feel.

"Hazekit is sick," she repeated. "He was mewling when I was in the nursery," she explained quickly, "and when Briarleaf said he wouldn't eat, I took a look at him and smelled something really weird. Then he began to sneeze."

Her eyes were wide with horror, and Rainpaw's widened as he listened. "We have to hurry!" He exclaimed.

The gray-blue tom led the way back to camp, not bothering to ask Jayfeather that he was going. Hollypaw was almost breathless by the time they reached camp. Now Mousewhisker was back, his eyes were filled with worry as he sat near the nursery. Apparently Briarleaf was allowing no one in.

Rainpaw bounded into the medicine cat den and grabbed some catmint - Hollypaw recognized it from when Jayfeather used it on Millie - and a small bush-like leaf with flowers that looked like daisies. "Feverfew, it's good for cooling down the body temperature," he explained when he noticed the look of confusion in her green eyes.

The two apprentices padded into the nursery. Hazekit was wheezing now, and the one-day-old kit looked like he was trembling. Hollypaw knew that he had a fever. She watched as Rainpaw began to chew on the catmint. He handed her the feverfew to chew, and she did so.

When they were pulps, Hollypaw spit it out and gave it to Rainpaw, who was giving Hazekit the catmint. Though the kit's mouth was so tiny, Rainpaw pride it opened and shoved the catmint into the gray tabby's mouth. Then he made Hazekit chew the feverfew. When the kit stopped shivering, Rainpaw let out a sigh of relief, while Hollypaw finally exhaled. She didn't realize she had been holding her breath until then.

"He'll be fine now," Rainpaw meowed to Briarleaf. "Just keep an eye on him, and if anyone else begins to shiver or wheez, then let me or Jayfeather know." When he finished, he glanced at Hollypaw, who was still watching.

"I'm so glad," she finally whispered.

Briarleaf purred and licked her kit gratefully. She pressed her muzzle close to Mousewhisker who had joined them as Rainpaw finished. When it looked like they were all fine and healthy, Hollypaw backed out of the nursery. Rainpaw quickly followed, and stared at her with shining amber eyes. "You were great!" He meowed.

"I was only doing what I thought would be best for him," Hollypaw replied feebly as she shuffled her paws against the ground.

Rainpaw only blinked and purred. He flicked his tail over Hollypaw's shoulder and padded back to the forest; probably to find Jayfeather. Hollypaw had felt as though she trully did something good, and she was proud of herself.

She began to make her way back to the apprentices' den, when Bramblestar approached her. "That was well done," he murmured. Surprise flickered in Hollypaw's eyes. He almost never praised an apprentice unless they were worth praising. "I think...you and Lynxpaw will be going to the Gathering tonight," he added.

Excitement coursed through Hollypaw as she watched him go. _The Gathering! _She thought as she stared after him. _I can't wait. _She bounded towards the apprentices' den, where Lynxpaw was sharing tongues with Leafpaw. Both young cats looked content, and Hollypaw almost felt bad about ruining their moment. But she couldn't help blurting out the news she had to share with her brother.

"Lynxpaw, we're going to the Gathering tonight!" She mewed.

The light brown tabby tom stared at her with wide amber eyes. Then his short tail flicked and he purred. "I can't wait," he cried as he bounded over to her.

Hollypaw nodded and sat down, hoping she would look calm when she went to the Gathering. This would be her first Gathering, and even though she was nervous about meeting cats from the other Clans, she couldn't wait to go. She just hoped that when she did go, she wouldn't make herself look like a fool in front of the other Clans.

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**Okay, I tried to make this chapter longer. I don't want to give too much away, so you'll have to keep reading to find out more!**


	7. Chapter 5

**A/N: So here's chapter 5. Anyways, thanks Emberheart0 and CRAZYREADER96 for reviewing, I really appreciate it. But now I've got over 250 hits, and most of those peeps did not review. Please, PLEASE at least leave a simple note on how you thought it was. Just one click and you'll make me the happiest person in the world! By the way, I've been meaning to let you guys know. There's a poll on my profile and I need your votes, because I'm planning on changing this story's name so it will sound more interesting. Please vote!**

~Chapter 5~

The grass swayed beneath Hollypaw's belly as she crouched down near the island where the Gathering was held every full moon. Beside her, Lynxpaw, Kernpaw and Leafpaw were also crouched. Mosspaw, Cragpaw and Muskedpaw could not come because there were already five apprentices that were chosen. Rainpaw was also with them, but he was sitting next to Jayfeather, who sat next to Lionblaze. Bramblestar was grooming himself, preparing for the long awaited night. Though Hollypaw's fur was bristling with excitement, she also felt nervous.

She didn't know what to do yet at the Gathering, since this was her first time. She would feel like a lost kit, wandering around forver, wondering where she was. But a tail gently pressed on her fur, and Hollypaw turned to see that Leafpaw was staring at her intently. "Don't worry, it's not as bad as you would think," she mewed. "Just don't give away anything that make make us look weak, and don't talk to the older warriors unless you have their permission. Some are friendly, but others..." she shrugged before she finished. Hollypaw already knew what she would have said anyways; the elder warriors would claw her ears off if she tried speaking to them.

Suddenly Bramblestar let out a yowl, making Hollypaw jump to her paws. The rest of the patrol also rose to their paws as he led the way towards the island. Hollypaw watched as Bramblestar crossed the log first. He stepped on it carefully, then began to pad across. When he landed on the other side, Squirrelflight, was second to cross. Then after a few heartbeats, it was Hollypaw's turn.

She put one paw on it, then another. But as she crossed it, the log creaked, and Hollypaw let out a yowl of alarm. But she soon felt teeth clutch her scruff, and the black she-cat looked up to see that Lionblaze had helped her.

"I made the same mistake when I was an apprentice," he purred. "Don't worry, you'll soon get the hang of it." He licked his daughters' ear and then joined Cinderheart.

Lynxpaw was bouncing around like a tiny kit out on its' first trek. "Hey Hollypaw, what are you going to do tonight?" He asked as he bounced over to her.

"I was thinking of speaking with those RiverClan apprentices," she replied. It looked like there were only three apprentices here tonight. She thought it might be a good idea to make friends with them, or at least try to.

Her brother shrugged and muttered, "RiverClan cats are boring. I'd rather talk to a ShadowClan warrior." Before Hollypaw could yowl the same warning Leafpaw gave her, he was off.

Shrugging to herself, Hollypaw padded over to a pretty blue-gray she-cat who had white paws and a white underbelly. She looked to be about two moons older then Hollypaw, and had the looks of a fine warrior. Beside her was a smoky black tom, and Hollypaw guessed from the way he looked that he was the blue-gray cat's brother.

"Hi there, who might you be?" The she-cat asked in a gentle voice. Her blue eyes gleamed as she stared at Hollypaw.

"My name's Hollypaw," she replied in a nervous tone. "I'm sort of new here," she added, hoping she sounded convincing.

"It's nice to meet you," the she-cat commented. "My name's Shellpaw, and this is my brother Coalpaw." She pointed her white-tipped tail to the smoky black tom. He only grunted and stalked away to join a group of older looking RiverClan warriors. "Don't mind him, he's just aways grumpy," Shellpaw added.

Suddenly a question flashed in Hollypaw's mind. She wanted to know what it was like to be a cat in a different Clan. It seemed like RiverClan was always well fed, and they had a good place to camp. "What's it like in RiverClan?" She asked.

Shellpaw didn't look surprised. In fact, she almost looked pleased. "It's great!" She mewed. "We can catch as many fish as we want, and even though Twolegs sometimes come during greenleaf and newleaf, life is good." Her eyes widened as a black tom approached her.

His pelt was sleek and seemed to glow under the moonlight. Hollypaw was about to ask who he was when he growled, "Shellpaw, you shouldn't be giving away any information!" Though his voice was gruff, he sounded amused.

The blue-gray she-cat's eyes widened even more into a look of dismay, and Hollypaw purred. "Don't worry, I won't tell anyone," she whispered as he padded away.

Shellpaw looked at her gratefully, but before she could say more, a yowl sounded from the tallest tree on the island. On its' branches were four cats, one of them being Bramblestar. The other three cats were she-cats. One was a gray she-cats, while the other was a dark ginger she-cat. The last one was blue-gray, with icy blue eyes that sent shivers through Hollypaw's fur. She gazed at them and saw that Bramblestar was beginning to speak. "Welcome cats of all Clans to the Gathering. Mistystar, would you like to begin?" He looked at the blue-gray she-cat, who looked so much like Shellpaw.

Mistystar dipped her head and stood up. "All is well in RiverClan. Blackclaw has decided it is time to move to the elders' den, and Copperstripe has had her kits, Brightkit and Bouncekit."

Yowls of congratulations filled the clearing, and then Mistystar sat down. The dark ginger she-cat spoke next; her name was Russetstar. ShadowClan had the same sort of news, only this time Russetstar told the Clans that Olivebranch was expecting kits now. Then the gray she-cat spoke next; her name was Ashstar.

"All is well in WindClan. The dogs are becoming more active, but we've shown them not to trouble us," she meowed. Her amber eyes glinted as if to challenge the rest of the Clans. Then she continued. "Tornear, our deputy, has also decided to move to the elders' den. I have made Whitetail WindClan's new deputy."

More yowls filled the clearing, and Hollypaw had to crane her neck to spot the small white cat. _Whitetail must be popular, _she mewed to herself as she gazed at her. Now it was ThunderClan's turn.

"ThunderClan is well. We have two new apprentices, Lynxpaw and Hollypaw. They are here tonight." The clearing fell silent as Hollypaw felt stares burning her pelt. Her fur prickled as murmurs spread through the Clans. Unease was also seeping through, and Hollypaw suddenly wanted to run. But she felt Cinderheart rest her muzzle on her shoulder, blue eyes gleaming with worry.

"Don't worry about them," the gray tabby whispered as she licked Hollypaw's ear.

Soon the Gathering was drawling to a close. Hollypaw padded over to join the ThunderClan patrol, just when she saw Russetstar stalking towards Bramblestar. The dark ginger she-cat's amber eyes were narrowed as she stared at him. "Bramblestar, she had better not be like the last one," she growled. With that, she bounded over to join her own ShadowClan patrol. Hollypaw was well aware of the mutunous glares they gave her, and she did her best to ignore them.

She followed the ThunderClan patrol back to camp. Her tail was drooping with exhaustion, and all she wanted to do right now was sleep in her warm nest. They reached camp, and Hollypaw headed straight for her nest. What she really wanted more then anything was to prove to the Clans that she wasn't whoever the cat they were thinking of. She wanted to feel accepted, not some cat who was just thrown out.

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A paw prodded Hollypaw's side as she slept. She groaned and turned around. The paw prodded her side again, this time stronger. She hissed and opened her eyes. Leafpaw was standing over her, amusement gleaming in her amber eyes. "Come on you lazy furball, it's time to get up," she murmured into her ear.

Hollypaw gasped and jumped to her paws. She had to blink a couple of times to get the sleep out of her eyes. She bounded out of the den only to run into Brackenfur. He was staring at her, though he didn't look too angry. He sighed and meowed, "Bramblestar is holding a warrior ceremony today. So after that you will hunt for your Clan."

The black she-cat suddenly looked at Cragpaw and Mosspaw, and saw that the two toms were looking truelly excited. Their eyes were gleaming with pride as she padded towards them. Leafpaw was sitting at the back of the apprentices' den, looking downcast. She spotted Bramblestar leap onto the Highledge. The dark brown tabby looked down at her, then the rest of the Clan. "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the Highledge for a Clan meeting!" He yowled.

Most cats had come out of their den, but a few were just returning from patrols. Hollypaw watched as they gathered beneath the Highledge, giving Bramblestar expectant looks. He began the ceremony with the ancient words that had been spoken for many seasons to come. "These apprentices are ready to receive their warrior names. Mosspaw, Cragpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code, and defend your Clan, even with your lives?"

When Cragpaw spoke, his voice was calm and level. "I do," he replied. "I do," Mosspaw meowed in a high-pitched voice.

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior names. Mosspaw, from this moment forward you will be known as Mossfoot. StarClan honors you for your bravery and hunting skills." Bramblestar pressed his muzzle on Mossoot's shoulder, while the gray tabby licked his shoulder in response. "Cragpaw, from this moment forward, you will be known as Cragfrost. StarClan honors you for your courage and selflessness."

When he was finished, the Clan chanted their new names. "Mossfoot! Cragfrost! Mossfoot! Cragfrost!" Hollypaw cheered along with the Clan, knowing and hoping that she too could join those who had earned their warrior names.


	8. Chapter 6

**A/N: So here's the sixth chapter as promised. I'm still getting about forty to fifty hits on this story each time I update, but hardly any reviews. People, please, PLEASE review! Anyways, special thanks to flamestreak64 and Emberheart0 for reviewing, you guys are the best!**

~Chapter 6~

Frost covered the ground the following morning as Hollypaw woke up. She shivered as a cold breeze sliced through the air. Leaf-bare was coming, and it seemed to be coming fast. Hollypaw just hoped that it wouldn't come too fast, otherwise the Clan would not be prepared. She glanced at the entrance of camp as Cragfrost and Mossfoot sat, awaiting for the first words that they could leave their vigil.

"You two look like your whiskers are frozen," Brackenfur meowed as he emerged from the warriors' den.

The two gray toms glanced over at the golden brown tabby, both remaining silent. Hollypaw hid her amusement by taking a mouse from the fresh-kill pile. It was scrawny looking, and hardly would fill her belly. So she decided to take it to the elders, hoping the would allow her to hunt for them later. Brackenfur reached her faster, and stared at her with gleaming amber eyes. "Hollypaw, where are you taking that mouse?" He asked in a gentle tone.

The black she-cat shuffled her paws on the ground as she mewed through the tufts of fur on the mouse, "I was going to feed this to Sandstorm."

Brackenfur purred, "that's a good idea, though I wouldn't give that scrawny thing to her, she'd claw your ears off. I'd recommend it to Dustpelt. He's willing to accept anything so long as there is meat on it."

Hollypaw nodded and carried her mouse over to the dark brown tabby tom. He swung his gray muzzle over to her and narrowed his eyes as she slowly approached. Dustpelt wasn't always the friendliest of cats. In fact, Hollypaw had heard stories of a time when the elder used to pick on Firestar back when he had been a warrior. But that was when he was hanging around cats like Tigerstar and Darkstripe. Hollypaw shuddered as she thought of the two traitorous warriors. _I will never be like that, _she thought as she placed the mouse in front of Dustpelt's paws.

"I brought this mouse for you," she mewed quietly.

He blinked at her, then purred almost as loudly as Brackenfur had. "Brackenfur has told you my secret hasn't he?" He murmured. "Well, thankyou young one, I appreciate your offer." He flicked his tail over Hollypaw's ear and began to take a bite out of the fresh-kill.

She sighed and padded back towards the apprentice's den, where Leafpaw was sharing tongues with Lynxpaw. The two had become quite close since he had become an apprentice, and Hollypaw knew they would be mates soon after they became warrior.

Suddenly a tail touched her shoulder, and Hollypaw turned to see Bramblestar looking at her. "I want you and Brackenfur to come with me on a patrol," he meowed. "I would like to assess your progress," he added with a flick of his tail.

Shock made Hollypaw gape at him. Her first patrol with the ThunderClan leader! The thought of it made her nervous and yet excited at the same time. She knew that he was thinking of what had happened at the Gathering, and yet he still trusted her enough to come with him on a patrol.

She bounded after him and saw that Brackenfur was waiting for them. The three cats set off towards WindClan territory. Hollypaw was well aware of the prey that was hiding in the bushes and trees, but she ignored them. She wanted to do what was best for the patrol, even if that meant ignoring the prey that was calling to her ears. But suddenly, a voice rang in her ears. It wasn't the voice that sounded threatening; it was high and squeaky.

"Did you get the seed Totto?" It whispered in a hushed voice.

"No you idiot! There are cats around, can't you smell them?" Another voice snapped.

Hollypaw turned with shock and saw that they were mice, squabbling with each other. She gaped at them, and one of them looked at her. "Umm, Teaka, there's a cat in front of us," the mouse called Totto murmured.

"Run!" Totto exclaimed.

The two mice bounded away, leaving Hollypaw alone, staring at nothing with eyes as wide as the full moon. She blinked once, and when she realized that the mice were no longer there, she bounded after Brackenfur and Bramblestar. The two toms were padding side by side, talking to each other about how the Clans were becoming more and more competitive. Hollypaw had noticed this too, but she didn't want to speak, just in case her voice came out as a squeak.

"Hollypaw, tell me what you can smell," Brackenfur meowed as they came to a stop near the stream.

Hollypaw haulted and sniffed the air. For a few heartbeats, it was almost hard to taste the differences between the border and the forest. But then she found it. "I can smell a fox, but it must have passed by two suns ago," she replied. "And...a mouse?" Her voice came out to a question, because it smelled like a mixture of a mouse and a vole combined.

Brackenfur nodded and looked at her with proud eyes. Bramblestar also blinked at him and then at her. "Well scented," he purred. "It's not everyday I get to patrol with an apprentice like you," he added as he flicked his ear.

The black she-cat was hot with emberrassment as she followed them back to camp. She realized that Bramblestar trusted her more then he let on, and the thought of it almost made her happy. _I hope the rest of the Clan can trust me, _she thought as she padded towards the apprentices' den.

She grabbed a vole from the fresh-kill pile and sat next to Kernpaw, who was finishing a young rabbit. "Hi Hollypaw, how's it goin'?" She asked as she gulped the last bit of her prey.

"Fine," Hollypaw murmured through bites. "Bramblestar was really impressed when Brackenfur asked what I could smell." Her fur warmed at the memory of his praise. Kernpaw looked at her in amazement, then shook her head.

"I know that Bramblestar can act really gruff all of the time, but I really think he's kind and loyal," she whispered. "Yesterday I saw him mooning over Squirrelflight like she was the greatest cat he'd ever met."

Hollypaw purred and dabbed one paw at her friend's ear. The two young cats continued gossiping until they grew tired. Then they both padded into their den. Muskedpaw was sleeping as was Lynxpaw. The two toms were curled up in tight balls, a reminder to Hollypaw about the cold that was fast approaching. She knew that leaf-bare was well on its' way, and it wouldn't be long before prey started becoming scarce.

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**A/N: I know that this chapter was a bit short, but not to worry, it'll get better!**


	9. Chapter 7

**A/N: Okay, I'm really sorry but I've decided to skip a couple of moons. So Muskedpaw, Leafpaw and Kernpaw all get their warrior names, and Hollypaw begins to understand her power a bit more. That's about the only info I will give you. Oh, and special thanks to Emberheart0 and flareon200 for reviewing, you guys are the best^^**

~Chapter 7~

Darkness was approaching as Hollypaw sat next to Lynxpaw. There was a Gathering tonight, but this time they were not invited to come. Hollypaw had gone to the last one, and so had Lynxpaw. This time Leafcloud, Kerntail and Muskedfur would be going for the first time since they became warriors. Hollypaw was glad that her friends were going, but she still wished she could go. The thought of not seeing her friend Shellpaw made her a little anxious.

The two young cats had become quite friendly with each other since they first met, and Shellpaw was always telling her what happened in RiverClan. Hollypaw even heard that the Twolegs were getting closer, but not close enough to destroy the Clans.

"Hey Hollypaw, what do you want to do tonight?" Lynxpaw asked through a yawn.

He swiped a paw over his ear and began to groom himself, while Hollypaw thought about that. "We could visit Brairleaf's kits," she suggested. Hazekit was her favorite; he was adventurous and always got himself into trouble. She had grown fond of him ever since she saved him alongside Rainpaw.

Mudkit was playing around with Hazekit, and though the pale gray tom was much smaller then his brother, he managed to topple Mudkit over. Hollypaw watched the two brothers, amusement gleaming in her amber eyes. Lightningkit was much more quiet, always staying in the back of the group, staring out into space. Flowerkit on the other hand, was quite different. She was loud and always got into fights with Mudkit, who would end the argument saying, "I'm stronger and bigger, get over it."

_They would make great apprentices, _she thought, suddenly wishing that she were a warrior, able to train them. Briarleaf was sitting just outside the entrance of the nursery, keeping a careful eye on the kits.

Hollypaw remembered hearing the story of how a snake had gotten Honeyfern, a beautiful light brown tabby. Briarleaf, who had been a kit then, was playing with her two siblings when the snake striked. Honeyfern had jumped in front of it and took the blow that had been aimed for Briarleaf. Hollypaw never met Honeyfern, but she knew that the young warrior must have been very brave to sacrafice herself like that.

She padded foward to look at the dark brown queen and meowed, "it won't be long before they're apprentices."

Briarleaf glanced up and nodded. There was a spark in her yellow eyes that almost made Hollypaw jump. But she ignored it and went over to the fresh-kill pile to grab a mouse. Despite the cold leaf-bare, prey had been rather easy to find. Hollypaw hoped that the richness of it would last.

When she finished eating, Hollypaw curled up in her den, glad for once to feel the warmth of Lynxpaw's thick fur. Hollypaw's world was soon surrounded in vivid dreams, most of them filled with cats of StarClan.

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"Come on Hollypaw lets go," Brackenfur's warning hiss made her ears twitch.

Hollypaw followed him, though she wasn't eager. Bramblestar had led the Clan back, announcing right away that ShadowClan had openly threatened to steal ThunderClan territory. Hollypaw knew this would only lead to a battle, but her heart told her that a battle was not the answer.

Brackenfur led her towards the training hollow, and she saw that it was buzzing with anticipation. Muskedfur was practicing battle moves with Rosefoot, while Poppyfrost watched from a safe distance. It was becoming obvious that she was now expecting kits, and Hollypaw wondered for a moment who the father was. She had noticed that Spiderleg was spending more time with the tortoiseshell warrior, and she had a feeling that he was her mate. She purred at the sight and turned to Brackenfur, who was turning around to face her.

"Alright, lets get started," he meowed. "I want you to show me what you know." He flicked his tail, beckoning her to follow.

She crouched low to the dusty ground, and suddenly lunged at the golden brown tabby. He gasped; clearly he had not expected the attack, and she knocked him to the ground. Her paws dug into his shoulders as she pinned him down, despite the fact that he was two times bigger then her. The two of them battered at each other, until Hollypaw's paws bean to ache. Then she rose to her paws, allowing Brackenfur to get up. He suddenly leaped at her, and she yowled in alarm. The golden brown tabby nipped at Hollypaw's shoulder. She reacted by lashing out her paw, striking him in the nose. Brackenfur stopped and let her go.

Both of them stood there panting. Hollypaw's amber eyes gleamed as she watched Brackenfur catch his breath. He raised his head and glanced at the others who were in the training hollow. Most cats had stopped to watch their jouting practice, but others were still practicing. Spiderleg padded over to her, he was padding alongside Poppyfrost.

"That was really good," the long-legged black tom meowed.

The black she-cat stared at him in shock. Spiderleg rarely praised someone, not even his own apprentices. Hollypaw's eyes glowed as she watched the two pad away back to camp. Brackenfur's tail rested on her shoulder as he murmured, "come on, I'm going to tell Bramblestar about this."

He led the way back to camp. Hollypaw's fur was bristling with excitement as he trotted towards Bramblestar, who was sharing tongues with Squirrelflight. The dark ginger she-cat's belly was growing rather large, and Hollypaw knew it would only be a matter of time before her kits came.

"Hi Brackenfur, how is the training going with Hollypaw?" Bramblestar asked as he finished.

Squirrelflight shot him an expectant glance and padded over to the nursery. Briarleaf's kits scrambled towards her, almost knocking Suirrelflight over. Hollypaw purred and looked back at Bramblestar.

"Hollypaw was perfect today," Brackenfur replied. "In fact, I think she's ready to earn her warrior name," he added with a flick of his tail.

Hollypaw gaped at him, her eyes gleaming with both shock and excitement. But then, a thought occured to her. "What about Lynxpaw?" She asked.

"He hasn't completed his training yet," Bramblestar replied in a gentle tone. "But don't worry, he'll become a warrior soon enough."

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Orange sky hovered over Hollypaw's head as Bramblestar called for a Clan meeting. "Let all cats old enough gather beneath the Highledge for a Clan meeting!" He yowled.

As the rest of the Clan gathered and emerged from their dens, Hollypaw noticed that Lynxpaw had not come yet. She felt a burning resentment in her that they could not become warriors together. She hoped that he would soon forgive her, and they could be friends again. When the Clan was gathered, Bramblestar began the meeting. "Brackenfur, do you believe your apprentice is ready to receive her warrior name?"

Brackenfur raised his head and replied in a bold voice, "she is."

"Then I, Bramblestar, leader of ThunderClan, call upon my warrior ancestors so that they may look at this apprentice as a warrior in their turn. She has trained hard and learned the ways of your noble code. Hollypaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code, and defend the Clan, even with your life?"

"I do," Hollypaw replied in a high, squeaky voice.

"Then from this moment forward, you will be known as Hollyheart. StarClan honors you for your bravery and courage."

Hollyheart couldn't help but try her new name. When the Clan chanted it, she felt her fur glow with pride. She was a warrior now. She would defend her Clan with her life, and no matter what she would remain loyal to her Clan.

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**A/N: Well, I hoped you liked it. I'm sorry if I got the ceremony mixed up, it's been a while since I've done one. Anyways, PLEASE click on the green and white button, for the sake of all readers!**


	10. Chapter 8

**A/N: So I've noticed that a lot of peeps were surprised that Hollypaw earned her warrior name so early. Well, I did so for more interesting events which will be enfolding very soon XD You'll just have to keep on reading! Anyways, I've got 24 reviews! So those special reviewers are: Hollyleaf_supporter_985, allygirl55, Emberheart0, FallingEchos, and Featheredwing. You guys are the best, and thanks for reviewing!**

~Chapter 8~

Frost covered Hollyheart's whiskers, making them twitch as she looked at them. She was trying her best not to shiver, as a cold wind pierced through the hollow. It had been a cold, bitter night as she sat vigil. During the night, white specks had begun to fall to the ground. Hollyheart had heard one of the elders call the white stuff 'snow', but she wasn't sure. Either way, she didn't like it. It felt damp and cold, just like the air around her.

The sun was beginning to rise, and Birchfall was the first to emerge from his den. Behind him were Thornclaw, Spiderleg and Hazeltail. They headed out towards the entrance, and Birchfall mewed, "you can rest now that the sun's up." The four cats squeazed through the gorse tunnel, leaving Hollyheart behind.

She sighed in relief, and began to pad towards the fresh-kill pile. It had meeger pickings, since the Clan had a feast last night in honor of her. The pile consisted of only a skinny sparrow and a small mouse. The black she-cat shook her head, knowing she would have to go hunting today in order to help restore the pile. She grabbed the mouse, knowing someone who was hungrier then her could take the sparrow.

"Hey Hollyheart, you wanna go hunting?" Muskedfur meowed. He was pacing alongside Icestorm, who had just woken up. Her green eyes blinked with sleep as she stared at Hollyheart.

Surprise flashed in her eyes. She had never really gotten along with Muskedfur. Was it because she was younger then her, and the fact that he was about to become a warrior? Hollyheart gazed at him, then nodded.

He led the way out of camp, then headed towards the Ancient Oak. Hollyheart knew this was a good place to hunt, Brackenfur had told her that himself. She followed him at a fast pace, eager to warm her cold paws. The snow beneath them was still fresh, and occassionally some snow fell from the branches of the trees. At one point a large pile of the white stuff landed on top of Muskedfur's head, making Hollyheart giggle. He grunted and shook it off; some of it landed on her, making her jump back in surprise.

Soon they reached the Ancient Oak, and Hollyheart could already taste prey in the air. Her fur prickled with anxiety as she wondered what would happen if she heard a mouse talking again. But when she killed one, she was relieved to feel only the pain that the creature felt as it died. She had gotten quite used to the feeling. It was as if the pain had become so great, that it numbed her limbs in order to adapt.

Later she caught a squirrel that had been busy chewing on an acorn. It had been completely unaware of her presence, only chittering to itself about something called 'long sleep'. She pricked her ears, wondering what that meant. But after a short while, she gave up and lunged. The squirrel had squealed in surprise, but fell quickly to the ground under her claws.

"Wow, that was a good catch," Muskedfur meowed as he approached. In his jaws was just one tiny shrew. It barely looked like it could feed a kit. "I haven't had so much luck," he muttered as he placed the shrew on her catch.

"Well we could always hunt near the abandoned Twoleg nest," Hollyheart mewed. "There's also always something there." She also wanted to check and see whether or not they had any catmint left. Even though she was not a medicine cat, she had heard Rainpaw say that the Clan needed the stuff in order to face the worst of leaf-bare.

Muskedfur nodded, and he let her take the lead. Hollyheart was well aware of the looks he was giving her. They were looks of confusion, excitement, and something else that she couldn't understand. Her pelt crackled with a strange feeling as she padded towards the area where she knew catmint would grow. To her dismay, it was covered in snow, and most of it was wrinkled and rotten looking.

"What's that?" Muskedfur asked as he wrinkled his nose at the scent.

Hollyheart sniffed it more carefully, wishing that she could find a fresh patch. "Catmint," she replied as she began to dig up the rotting leaves. "We need to dig this up and show it to Jayfeather - erm, Rainpaw," she quickly corrected herself. Jayfeather was blind, so he wouldn't be able to see how devastated their herb stock was.

Muskedfur nodded and pushed in front of her, helping her dig up the plant. When they were finished, he argued with her to carry it, saying that she should carry the prey. Hollyheart grumbled to herself, wishing that he would stop acting like a mouse-brained tom and bounded forward.

As they reached camp, Hollyheart noticed there was another scent filling the hollow. It smelled of rabbits and moorland, and for a terrible moment, Hollyheart wondered if the Clan were in battle. But when they entered, she saw that Ashstar was sitting in front of Bramblestar, with Harespring, a brown-and-white tom, and Leaftail, a dark tabby tom. She flicked her tail to Muskedfur, hoping he wouldn't show the WindClan cats the herb they had collected.

"Don't let them see," she whispered.

He nodded, and she led the way, slinking past the WindClan cats and into the medicine cat's den. Both Rainpaw and Jayfeather were organizing their stock, but it looked as though Jayfeather's tail was lashing in frustration.

Suddenly the gray tabby's ears pricked and he whirled around on them. "Why do I smell rotting leaves?" He hissed.

Hollyheart exchanged a surprised glance with Muskedfur, then turned to Jayfeather. Rainpaw was slowly approaching. "Erm, we found them near the abandoned Twoleg nest," she explained. "Jayfeather, I'm sorry but it looks as though we're fresh out of catmint." Her voice cracked under the weight of those words.

She knew just how important catmint was. It was the best remedy for whitecough and greencough. Jayfeather didn't say anything, he just sniffed the leaves and sighed. Rainpaw looked more worried as he looked at the plants.

"Jayfeather, what are we going to do if we have no catmint?" He asked in a worried tone.

The gray tabby didn't respond at first. Then Hollyheart felt a cold determination roll off of him in waves. She knew he had come up with a plan, and it was a dangerous one at that. "We'll do something," he finally replied. "First I want you to find out if there are any left," he added to his apprentice. "And if you can't find anything, I'll tell you what to do."

Rainpaw nodded and whisked away, leaving the three cats behind. Hollyheart stared at the rotten leaves, wondering what to do with them. She didn't want WindClan to see them, just in case. "I'll bury these," she murmured.

She dragged them out of the den, avoiding contact with the three cats who were in the clearing, surrounded by several ThunderClan warriors. Muskedfur was close by, as if he didn't want her to be alone. After she buried the plants, she padded over to see what was happening. Ashstar was meowing something to Bramblestar, who looked furious. His tail was lashing from side to side, and Spiderleg let out a hiss that sounded annoyed.

"Ashstar, I've told you before, we do not intend to cause an uneccassary fight," Bramblestar growled. "ThunderClan will not side with WindClan to attack RiverClan." With that, the dark brown tabby stalked away back to his den under the Highledge.

Ashstar hissed and padded away, with the two warriors following her. Hollyheart stared after them, wondering what could have caused Ashstar to bring this up. One thing was certain, there was a battle looming over head that ThunderClan was likely to become involved in. She just hoped that Bramblestar was wise enough to avoid the conflicts between WindClan and RiverClan.

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**A/N: Well, there you have it. I hope you like it, after all, I worked hard on it!**


	11. Chapter 9

**A/N: I'm really bored and at school so I may type up two more chapters. Here's chapter nine!**

~Chapter 9~

A yowl of alarm sounded as Hollyheart and Muskedfur padded through the forest. Two suns had passed since the confrontation with Ashstar and her two warriors, and the Clan had high tensions ever since. She stared at where the yowl came from, and saw with shock that it was a tiny kit.

The black she-cat bounded forward, alarm flashing in her eyes. Muskedfur slowly followed, though Hollyheart could feel that he was worried about her. She looked through the tendrils of bracken and saw that it was a brown tabby kit with white paws. He looked to be about five moons old, and there was a long scratch on his right shoulder. Hollyheart sniffed him and detected a scent that was like a mixture of the barn and WindClan.

"What's a kit doing out here?" Muskedfur hissed.

His yellow eyes flashed, though there was only sympathy in them. Hollyheart purred, knowing that even though he could seem harsh, he was rather friendly and nowadays easy to get along with. She blinked and stared back at the kit.

"Where did you come from?" She asked in a more gentle tone.

The kit looked up at her, and from where she was standing, Hollyheart saw a trail of blood follow where he had traveled from. It came from WindClan territory, but as far as she could see, she wans't sure if this kit was from WindClan.

"I was hunting when some mean cat bit me," the kit mewled. Even though he was hurt, he sounded tough. "I tried to run but more cats joined him. They would've gotten me too if it hadn't been for that eagle that flew nearby," he added.

Hollyheart stared at him in shock. Eagles could easily take down a kit, especially one as small as this one. But that didn't seem to stop him from running away with his life. "Well, don't worry little one," she murmured. "We'll take you somewhere safe."

Before Muskedfur could growl something, Hollyheart picked the tiny kit up. She carried him back to camp, despite the fact that Muskedfur was grumbling to himself incoherently. She ignored his hiss as she padded through the gorse tunnel. Camp was busy with cats, as Brackenfur called out the hunting patrols and border patrols. Cloudtail was leading one of the hunting patrols towards the stream that ran through WindClan territory, while Foxwhisker led the border patrol towards ShadowClan territory. Hollyheart stood where she was, feeling the kit squirm in her jaws.

No one glanced at him as they passed by, except for Cinderheart who was joining Cloudtail's patrol. "Hollyheart, what are you doing with a kit?" She asked in a concerned voice.

The black she-cat looked at her mother right in the eye. The dark gray warrior's blue eyes were gleaming as she stared at Hollyheart and the bundle of fur in her jaws. Hollyheart knew she could not answer without knowing exactly what _had _happened to the kit. So she ignored Cinderheart's gasp as she pushed her way by. She headed towards the medicine cat's den, where Jayfeather was mixing herbs. Rainpaw wasn't in, and suddenly Hollyheart wished she could see her blue-gray friend again. It would make her feel better knowing that he was present and listening to her side of the story.

Jayfeather whirled around and stared beyond Hollyheart; reminding her once again of his blindness. She placed the kit down in front of the gray tabby and mewed, "Jayfeather, I need you to take care of him. He was hurt by a WindClan patrol and now his shoulder's bleeding."

When he responded with a sniff, Hollyheart knew he would take care of the brown tabby kit. With a sigh of relief, Hollyheart stepped out of the den and into the sunlight. Bramblestar was sitting next to Brackenfur, who both looked fierce.

"You brought a kit onto ThunderClan territory," Brackenfur hissed in a low voice. "You of all cats know that it is wrong."

Suddenly Bramblestar glared at the golden brown tabby, and Brackenfur hushed his tone. He stared at Hollyheart, who was beginning to tremble now. But instead of harsh words, Bramblestar's gaze was gentle as he meowed, "no one will blame you for helping this kit. In fact, ThunderClan needs more warriors. So When he recovers, I will see if he would like to stay." With that, Bramblestar padded away, leaving Hollyheart alone with Brackenfur.

Hollyheart tried her best to ignore her former mentor's hard stare, but it was almost overpowering. She was expecting more of a speech now that Bramblestar had left, but instead he stalked away, leaving her alone and confused. Hollyheart stared after him, wondering what she could do to make him forgive her. But then, that would mean forcing the kit to leave, and she knew that was not an answer.

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"Let all cats old enough gather around the Highledge for a Clan meeting!" Bramblestar's yowl rang around camp, jolting Hollyheart awake.

She had been up most of the night, keeping an eye on the brown kit. His shoulder had stopped bleeding, and he had woken several times, asking where he was. Each time, Hollyheart would reply in the same gentle voice, like a mother woud, 'you are home, and safe.'

Now, the whole Clan knew, and they were gathered around the Highledge, looking both eager and nervous. Hollyheart sighed as she watched their reactions. The brown tabby was stumbling out of the medicine cat's den, and he held his head high as he approached the center of the clearing. More then one cat hissed as he passed, but he was bold and ignored them.

"Yesterday, during the morning, Hollyheart and Muskedfur returned with a kit that was hurt by a WindClan patrol," Bramblestar began. "Now, I am asking this kit a question that could change his life. Would you like to join ThunderClan?"

Yowls of outrage filled the clearing, and Hollyheart had to bow her head in order to understand the words the kit made. It sounded as though he wanted to. Bramblestar caterwauled over them and yowled, "Silence!" As the Clan stopped, he continued, "then from this moment on, you will be known as Branchkit, in honor of you brown tabby fur."

Branchkit blinked as he spoke his new name. Hollyheart was the first to chant, and soon, most cats began to join in. She was glad that they were willing to follow her, but she wanted Branchkit to feel welcome.

She flicked her tail over the brown tabby's shoulder. He glanced at her and mewed, "where will I sleep?"

"Over there, where that dark brown she-cat is," Hollyheart flicked her tail towards the nursery. Hazekit and Lightningkit were peering past their mother, staring at Branchkit with wide eyes. He nodded and stumbled towards the nursery. Briarleaf didn't seem to mind his approach, and gently licked him. She gazed at Hollyheart, and nodded to the black she-cat.

Hollyheart nodded back, and padded to the warrior's den. Muskedfur was sitting with Leafspots, and his eyes were narrowed. Hollyheart sighed and curled up in her nest, wishing that could tell him that things would be okay.

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**A/N: So I bet you weren't expecting that! Anyways, please have fun with the next chapter!**


	12. Chapter 10

**A/N: Like I said, I was bored! Oh, and for all of those who have clicked on this story, you will HAVE to leave a review.**

~Chapter 10~

Hollyheart padded through the forest, feeling confident with herself. Three suns had passed since Branchkit was allowed in the Clan. He had settled in quite well, and Hollyheart was pleased to know that some day he would become a strong, loyal warrior. _I hope, _she thought as she stopped for a moment. But then, the voice sounded in her head again. She hadn't heard in a while, though it still sent shivers through her fur.

_You _could _also be a strong and loyal warrior, _the voice whispered. _You could take Branchkit on as an apprentice, _the voice was almost sneering, and Hollyheart tried desperately to shake her head, hoping to get rid of the voice. But it went on, _become friends with Branchkit, and you will soon become deputy. _With that, the voice faded and it left Hollyheart feeling terrified. What danger did this new power bring to her?

She padded on, grateful that the voice was gone. Soon Hollyheart spotted and killed a vole, ignoring the pain the sliced through her spine. She quickly dispatched a wood lark and a sparrow, then carried her meeger catch back to camp. She wasn't aware of Muskedfur, who must have returned from the dawn patrol. He stepped in front of her, though his yellow eyes were gleaming with anticipation. "Bramblestar has announced who will be going to the Gathering," he meowed. "You and I are going," he added with a flick of his tail. "Leaspots, Sandstorm, Cloudtail and Lynxpaw will also be going."

The black she-cat purred and licked his cheek. "That's great," she mewed as she dropped her catch at her paws. "I'm taking this to the fresh-kill pile," she added as she padded away.

Muskedfur stared after her as she dropped it on the fresh-kill pile. Suddenly a shadow loomed over her, and Hollyheart looked up to see Bramblestar staring at her as well. "That was well done," he meowed. "Hollyheart, I'd like to see you in my den," he added.

He jumped up the pile of rocks that made up the Highledge, and Hollyheart quickly followed, feeling confused. Why would he want to see her? She didn't know whether or not something had happened while she was gone. _What if I caused a commotion? _She wondered as she slowly approached the entrance.

Squirrelflight also was there, though her belly was bulging. Hollyheart knew it would only be a matter of time before her kits came. It was good news for ThunderClan, new kits meant more apprentices, which was something the Clan needed more then anything else. Bramblestar was watching his mate with concerned amber eyes, and licked her shoulder gently as Squirrelflight groaned softly.

"Hollyheart," the dark brown tabby suddenly called as he finished, "you've been a warrior for only a couple of moons, but you've also shown that you're loyal, strong and compassionate." The praise caught Hollyheart off guard. She had never expected this to come, and she stared at him with wide eyes. "And I think, even though you're young, you are ready for an apprentice." Before he had a chance to continue, a thought suddenly accured to Hollyheart. The only kits in the Clan were Briarleaf's, and they wouldn't be apprentices for another couple of moons. Was Bramblestar telling her that she would mentor one of her kits? "I want you to mentor Branchkit when he is ready to become an apprentice," Bramblestar went on. "He is almost ready to become an apprentice, and you have shown that you above all care for him."

She felt Squirrelflight's stare burn into her pelt. Hollyheart was almost as shocked as she was. But before Hollyheart could say anything, Bramblestar meowed, "it's time to go to the Gathering."

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The full moon gleamed in the night sky, and stars sparked brightly, turning the forest a silver color. Hollyheart's tail tip twitched with excitement - this would be her first time at the Gathering as a warrio - she was somewhat nervous at the thought of it, but she knew that she would be okay. Muskedfur crouched beside her, along with Leafspots. Lynxpaw, who had grown furious with her since she became a warrior, was sitting next to his mentor Sorreltail. The tortoiseshell-and-white she-cat was gazing at the island with a fond look in her eyes.

Hollyheart knew that the Clan was ready to face the threat WindClan and ShadowClan threw at them. They had trained during the past moon, and now they were lean, muscular and well fit to take on just about anything.

Bramblestar suddenly let out a yowl, and the ThunderClan cats charged towards the island. Hollyheart quickly followed, with her tail raised in the air, and her green eyes gleaming in the pale moonlight.

When they reached the island, Hollyheart saw that RiverClan and ShadowClan were already there. She quickly spotted her friend Shellpaw and bounded over to her. Shellpaw's brother Coalpaw was speaking to a couple of ShadowClan warriors. Hollyheart was surprised that he could be so brave, but then, he seemed like the type of cat who would rather hang around older warriors.

Suddenly she felt her fur prickle under the stare of a rather large looking cat. Hollyheart turned to see a large dark brown tabby tom with amber eyes glaring at her icily, as if she were his worst enemy. Beside him was a mottled dark brown tom and a pale tabby she-cat. Both cats narrowed their eyes at her. "Come on Snakeclaw, we don't need to see this..._ThunderClan _cat," the pale tabby she-cat sneered.

The dark brown tabby tom nodded slowly, though as he led the group away, he continued to stare at Hollyheart. "Hollypaw, how are you?" Shellpaw's mew distracted her, and for once, she was grateful. The blue-gray she-cat was watching the three ShadowClan warriors with a cold expression. "Ignore them," she added. "They're mouse-brains."

Hollyheart shook her head and stared at Shellpaw. "Actually it's Holly_heart _now," she corrected her friend.

Shellpaw's blue eyes widened. "Wow, and here I thought you'd still be an apprentice. Well, I'm Shell_spots_," she mewed.

The two new warriors giggled at each other, then Hollyheart suddenly wanted to ask Shellspots if she knew more about those ShadowClan warriors. "Hey Shellspots, do you know anything about them?" She asked, casting a glance towards them.

They were huddled in a small group, mumbling to each other while glancing over at her. Hollyheart was certain that they were talking about her, and the thought of it made her fur stand on end. She flicked her ears, hoping she could make herself look like she were ignoring them. Suddenly Hollyheart heard a yowl from the Sky Oak, and she saw that Russetstar was starting the meeting. She looked around, hoping to find some WindClan warriors, but to Hollyheart's dismay, there were none.

"Russetstar, we cannot begin the Gathering without WindClan," Mistystar meowed from her branch. The gray she-cat was perched on it, and her blue eyes were narrowed as she stared at the ShadowClan leader.

The dark ginger she-cat flicked her tail submissively, as though she had not heard Mistystar's call. "Cats of all Clans, I have news from ShadowClan," she began. "Our Clan grows stronger every day, and we have decided to make our territory larger to support us." She glared at every cat defiantly, daring them to speak out against her.

Bramblestar glared back at her and growled, "and just how do you prapose to enlarge your territory?"

The ShadowClan leader snorted and dipped her head to him, suddenly looking friendly. Hollyheart knew exactly what she was trying to do. Russetstar was hoping that the ThunderClan leader would help her out. _Well, you're not getting any help from us, _she thought as she glared at her.

"Our territory goes further back," Russetstar explained calmly. "We decided to move our scent markers in the deeper part of the forest." She turned to stare at Brambleclaw with a mutinous look. "_If _that's okay with you," she added in a low hiss.

Hollyheart stared at her in shock. No cat ever challenged one another at a Gathering. Especially leaders. She felt as though a giant claw was tearing at her; StarClan were not happy with them, that she knew. The black she-cat gazed at them, wondering whether or not she should call out at them. But then she relaxed as Bramblestar dipped his head. At least he was easy to reason with, to an extant.

"Do you agree Mistystar?" He asked the RiverClan leader.

She had been silent the whole time, as if she were thinking of what to do. She glanced up to stare at him, then nodded. "I agree it is a good idea," she replied. "Now can we _please _get on with this?" She added.

Bramblestar nodded and began to speak. "All is well in ThunderClan. We have four new warriors: Muskedfur, Leafspots, Kerntail and Hollyheart." Hollyheart felt most cats stare at her. It felt like the last Gathering she had been to, when the Clans learned of her first name. "That is all." Bramblestar sat down, allowing Mistystar to speak out.

"All is well in RiverClan. We too have two new warriors: Shellspots and Coalpelt. Mosspelt has also had her kits, Leapordkit, Smallkit and Hawkkit." When the gray she-cat finished speaking, the Clans yowled out their new names. But Hollyheart was well aware that it was mostly from RiverClan and ThunderClan. Most of the ShadowClan cats were glowering at Mistystar, as if she were their worst enemy.

Hollyheart shuddered, and she suddenly realized that things were about to get far worse. WindClan had not shown up, and ShadowClan had openly threatened Bramblestar and Mistystar. She knew that a battle was coming, no matter how much Hollyheart wanted to stop it.

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**A/N: Yay for long chapters! Anyways, I think I made it kind of obvious as to who Snakeclaw is(hint hint, he's a dark brown tabby tom with amber eyes). PLEASE review, you won't regret it, and it does NOT give you any sort of infection. I think.**


	13. Chapter 11

**A/N: Here's chapter eleven! Anyways, thanks Emberheart0, Hollyleaf_supporter_985, and FallingEchos. I can't believe I now have 30 reviews! That's a new record for me. Anyways, I'm hoping to get two new reviewers before I can update, so tell your friends about this story!**

~Chapter 11~

A strange scent filled Hollyheart's nose as she led the sunhigh patrol. One sun passed since the Gathering, and the Clan was tense with the possibilities of a battle. It was as though a great cloud loomed over them, just waiting to open and crackle with electricity. Hollyheart suddenly realized that this scent was a mingle of fear, anger, and WindClan. She glanced over her shoulder, and saw that Cloudtail and Whitewing looked uneasy. There was definitely something wrong in WindClan, Hollyheart was sure of it.

She bounded forward until she found another scent that made her fur stand on end. It smelled of blood. "Something has happened in WindClan," she murmured out loud.

Cloudtail's long tail lashed as he understood her words. Whitewing only looked horrified, as if she had just seen Onestar's ghost. _Then again, she may have, _Hollyheart thought as she remembered Snakeclaw.

"Lets follow their scent," Hollyheart decided. She wanted to desperately find out what happened to WindClan. Perhaps that was why Ashstar came to camp that one day, or maybe something happened that none of the Clans could heal.

She led the way, tracking down the scent that was growing stronger and stronger. Eventually, it reached to a point that Hollyheart almost missed it. But then she spotted something moving in the distance. It was a dog, yapping away at fluffy white creatures with short legs. They were moving together as the dog snapped at them. Already Hollyheart could feel the fear that WindClan must have felt at the sight of the dog. But as she looked at them harder, Hollyheart realized that there were three dogs out there. Each of them bigger then the first.

Fear made her want to turn tail and run, but Hollyheart knew she _had _to find WindClan, even if it meant breaking the warrior code. Cloudtail and Whitewing were behind her, and she knew just how uncomfortable they were crossing the Clan's boundary.

Hollyheart continued trekking on, slinking past the dogs as they ran around snapping at the fluffy white creatures. She then stepped forward, and Hollyheart saw a cat watching them through narrowed eyes. His dark tabby fur reminded her of Leaftail, and she realized that it was.

Then more cats streaked out of the barn, each skinny and hostile looking. "Get out of here! This is WindClan territory!" A spotted gray tabby spat.

The three ThunderClan cats gaped at her, but when she lashed out and clawed at Hollyheart's nose, they turned tail and ran. Blood oozed out of the scratch the tabby had given her, but Hollyheart ignored the pain. It felt normal compared to the pain she felt every time she killed a mouse or any other prey.

Suddenly Hollyheart spotted a rabbit bounding forward, with its tail stuck out in the air. "No more cats!" It squealed as it kept running.

Before Hollyheart had time to react, a claw raked her back, making her yowl in pain. "That was a mouse-brained thing to do!" Cloudtail hissed. "Obviously WindClan isn't going to accept our help, Ashstar is too proud."

She stared at him with wide green eyes, and the long-haired white tom flinched. He didn't know what was going on. She limped back to camp, and as she did so, Hollyheart heard Whitewing hiss at her own father. The black she-cat was glad that Whitewing was at least on her side. She limped over to the medicine cat's den, eager to get her wound checked. Rainpaw was the only one there; he was collecting shiny looking leaves when he saw her and nearly squeaked like a kit in horror. "What happened?" He demanded as he bounded over to sniff her wound. Hollyheart winced as his whiskers brushed against it.

"I was...in the forest and must have accidentally went through a holly bush," she lied. She couldn't let him know that Cloudtail had clawed her back. And besides, it wasn't like Rainpaw needed to know all of her problems.

The blue-gray tom was staring at her quizicaly, but then he shook his head and murmured, "next time _try _to be careful."

Hollyheart nodded, and felt relieved as he applied the soothing herbs onto her wound. He also applied it to her nose, and soon wrapped a cobweb around them. When he finished, Hollyheart licked his shoulder and padded out.

Cats surrounded the clearing, and Hollyheart saw that Cloudtail was in the center of the group. "WindClan is in trouble," he was meowing, "and that trouble could become ours."

Yowls of agreement sounded as he finished, his blue eyes flashed as Hollyheart approached. Senior warriors never held meetings of their own, especially not without their leader to consult with.

"Cloudtail, is there something wrong?" Bramblestar's call rang out around camp. Hollyheart spotted the dark brown tabby tom leaping down to join the rest of the Clan. "Every cat has a say to what is going on," he added to Hollyheart as she gave him a skeptical look.

She slowly nodded, though she was sure that this was still wrong. Bramblestar looked at Cloudtail with calm, eager eyes. Hollyheart wished that she could be more like him, caring, devoted to his Clan, and hard working. He even forgave Squirrelflight for what she had done to help her sister Leafpool when they brought kits into camp.

"WindClan is suffering," Cloudtail began. "I've seen it for myself, Dewspots even slashed Hollyheart's nose," he added. He didn't mention the fact that the wound on her back was thanks to him and his selfish ways.

Bramblestar was nodding, then the dark brown tabby sighed. "Cloudtail, I will not lead the Clan into an unnecessary battle. For now we will keep watch over the border, and I want no one to cause any confrontations with them," he meowed.

When Cloudtail grumbled to himself and padded over to Brightheart, Hollyheart noticed that the rest of the Clan dispersed into a couple of groups. Brackenfur was standing next to Bramblestar, looking rather furious that the Clan would speak out against his leader. Cloudtail on the other hand seemed to have a couple of followers. Brightheart sat next to him, Bumblestripe and Toadfur. Hollyheart suddenly wondered whether or not the Clan would actually listen to Bramblestar. She knew that Cloudtail was defiant in many was, and if he wanted to fight, he would.

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Sunlight peered through the trees as Hollyheart sat down in the hollow. It was still cold, but the sun, though it's rays were not warm, felt good against her black fur. She hadn't felt this good since the day she was a kit. Lynxpaw was leaving for battle training; her brother had become quite strong since the day she became a warrior.

She sighed as Bramblestar leaped onto the Highledge. His amber eyes gleamed as he yowled, "let all cats old enough gather around the Highledge for a Clan meeting!"

Hollyheart stared at him in confusion, but when she saw Lynxpaw padding out of the warriors' den, she knew that it was time for his warrior ceremony. She saw pride gleam in his amber eyes as he slowly approached the clearing. Sorreltail padded beside him, and her amber eyes flashed with pride as well. Hollyheart knew this was her first apprentice to become a warrior, and she felt proud for the tortoiseshell-and-white she-cat too.

"Sorreltail, do you believe Lynxpaw is ready to become a warrior?" Bramblestar asked as he stood up.

"I do," she replied in a bold, proud voice.

"Then by the powers of StarClan, it is time. I, Bramblestar, leader of ThunderClan, call upon my warrior ancestors so that they may look down upon this apprentice. He has trained hard to understand the ways of your noble warrior code, and I commend him to you as a warrior in turn. Lynxpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code, and defend your Clan, even with your life?"

Even before Bramblestar finished, Hollyheart saw the eagerness that flashed in Lynxpaw's eyes. "I do," he meowed.

"Then from this moment forward, you will be known as Lynxclaw. StarClan honors you for your speed and wisdom."

Bramblestar leaped down from the Highledge and pressed his muzzle on Lynxclaw's forehead. Lynxclaw returned the favor by licking the dark brown tabby's shoulder. "Lynxclaw! Lynxclaw!" Hollyheart cheered, hoping she sounded the loudest.

But then a thought accured to her, something she hadn't thought of before. _What will the Clan do without apprentices? _Then the voice came back, making her shudder. _If you perform their duties, it will show that you are ready to help your Clan, _it sounded almost promising.

Hollyheart shook her head once more, clearing the thought away. It was a good idea, but she knew it was for the wrong intentions. She padded into the warrior's den and curled up next to Muskedfur, hoping that the voice in her head would go away soon.

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**A/N: Okay, really crappy ending. But I wanted Lynxclaw to get his warrior name now while I can give it to him. Anyways, thanks again for reviewing!**


	14. Chapter 12

**A/N: So I was bored yet again. Here's the next chapter!**

~Chapter 12~

"Let all cats old enough gather around the Highledge for a Clan meeting!" Bramblestar's yowl rang throughout camp, waking Hollyheart up. She sighed and yawned, then rose to her paws. A quarter moon had passed since Lynxclaw became a warrior, since then, WindClan had shown no signs of attacking, though Hollyheart was sure a battle would soon come. ShadowClan had grown more aggressive by doubling their border patrols. Hollyheart even caught Dawnfrost, ShadowClan's deputy crossing the border. It was only thanks to Brackenfur that the cream-furred she-cat didn't get her ears clawed off.

The black she-cat padded out of the den, with Muskedfur close behind her. Since he had shown his affection towards her, Hollyheart realized that there was more to him then she remembered. Everytime his tail touched her shoulder, Hollyheart would feel her fur crawl with a strange sensation. And his scent changed to - it was much stronger now, more inviting to her.

Hollyheart sat down next to Lynxclaw and Muskedfur. Squirrelflight, whose belly was now bulging sat outside the nursery. Poppyfrost was laying next to her. Both she-cats would be expecting kits very soon, and the thought of it made Hollyheart feel better knowing that ThunderClan would have plenty of kits. It also meant that there would be more apprentices to train.

She gazed at the side of the clearing and saw that Briarleaf was sitting with her four kits, and Branchkit as well. Hollyheart had almost forgotten that these kits were ready to become apprentices. _And that means I will mentor Branchkit, _she thought as she gazed at the brown tabby tom.

"It is time for one of my favorite duties," Bramblestar meowed as the Clan settled down. "These kits have reached their sixth moon, and they are now ready to become apprentices. Come forward you four," he flicked his tail, beckoning the kits forward. Lightningkit was the fastest, and she approached first. Mudkit, Hazekit, Sunkit and Branchkit followed more slowly. Their tails stuck out in the air as they approached though, and there was no doubt that these kits were excited. "Lightningkit, from this moment forward, until you have recieved your warrior name, you will be known as Lightningpaw. Spiderleg, you are ready for an apprentice. You are both brave and skilled as a hunter, and I expect you to pass this on to Lightningpaw." Hollyheart watched as the two cats touched muzzles, and Spiderleg led Lightningpaw into the group.

"Hazekit, from this moment forward, you will be known as Hazepaw. Foxwhisker, you are ready for your first apprentice. Squirrelflight has taught you well, and I expect you to pass on what you learned from her to Hazepaw." As the Clan chanted the pale gray tom's new name, he touched noses with Foxwhisker.

Soon, Mudkit became Mudpaw, and Bumblestripe became his mentor. Sunkit became Sunpaw, and of all cats, Muskedfur became her mentor. Hollyheart purred her congradulations to him as Bramblestar went on. "Branchkit, from this moment on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Branchpaw. Hollyheart, you are a strong and loyal warrior, always willing to defend your Clan. I expect you to pass on what Brackenfur taught you to Branchpaw."

Branchpaw looked truly surprised to have Hollyheart as his mentor. He stepped up and touched noses with her, and she flicked her tail over his ear. Hollyheart noticed some warriors glance at her with narrowed eyes. She sighed, knowing that they would have expected an older warrior to train Branchpaw. But Hollyheart was determined to prove herself, and she knew that in time, Branchpaw would be the best warrior in the Clan.

"Hey, would you like to show our apprentices around?" Muskedfur asked as he approached her.

Hollyheart purred as she took in his warm scent and replied, "yes."

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The forest was unusually quiet as Hollyheart and Muskedfur led the way. A fresh blanket of snow had fallen last night, showing that even now, despite that fact that leaf-bare was almost over, the cold bitter winds could still penetrate even the forest.

Branchpaw and Sunpaw were bouncing around like excited kits. Hollyheart stopped near the edge of the ShadowClan border. She could already detect the faint markers, and from here, she spotted Crowfrost, Toadfoot and Kinkfur slinking through their pine forest. She was well aware of the mutinous looks they gave her - they were evenly matched, despite the fact that there were three warriors. Hollyheart knew that Crowfrost wasn't as mouse-brained as some of the ShadowClan warriors. He wouldn't attack unless he saw an advantage.

"This is the ShadowClan border," Muskedfur explained as Sunpaw began to wrinkle her nose. "If you're careful, you won't run into any patrols. They can be fierce when they want to be," he added as he licked the tortoiseshell she-cat's shoulder.

Sunpaw nodded, and Hollyheart knew that his apprentice would listen. Branchpaw was also listening, and his eyes widened as Muskedfur added the effect of the fierce attacks. Hollyheart purred and continued to lead the way through the territory.

Soon they reached the Ancient Oak, the tallest tree in ThunderClan. Hollyheart remembered hearing how her mother had gotten stuck in the tree, and it had only been thanks to the help of Leafpool that her mother survived. _I wouldn't be here had it not been for her, _Hollyheart suddenly thought.

"This is the Ancient Oak," she explained as Sunpaw and Branchpaw approached. "Prey is always easy to find here, even during leaf-bare." _But you'll have to learn how to catch it, _she thought as she watched Branchpaw try and stalk a squirrel. It's long fuzzy tail stuck up in the air, and it immediately made a run for it. Before Branchpaw could catch it though, Muskedfur killed it with one swipe of his claw. Hollyheart felt a pain strike her neck as his claws scored the squirrels'. She had to dig her claws into the ground to stop herself from yowling out. Muskedfur's eyes were suddenly bright with worry as he saw her.

"Are you okay?" He asked in a concerned tone as he dropped the squirrel. He licked her cheek, and Hollyheart felt dizzy again as his warm tongue rasped over her fur.

"I'm fine," she replied hastily.

Too late, Muskedfur stared at her for a moment, then grabbed the squirrel and trotted off with Sunpaw close behind him. Hollyheart sighed and followed him, with Branchpaw at her side. "What was that about?" The brown tabby apprentice asked as they padded on.

"It's complicated," Hollyheart mewed. What she didn't want to say, was that Muskedfur could be such a mouse-brain sometimes. Even though he was mad now, he would forgive her in a short time. She just had to give him a chance to cool off.

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**A/N: Sorry this wasn't as long, I didn't know what else to add. Please let me know what you thought of it, I could really use some more reviews!**


	15. Chapter 13

**A/N: Wow, I can't believe I've almost got forty reviews. So those special reviewers are: allygirl56, FallingEchos, and Emberheart0. Thanks so much!**

~Chapter 13~

"Can we go hunting?" Branchpaw meowed as Hollyheart led the way out of camp.

A half moon had passed since he became an apprentice, and he was learning fast. Hollyheart was proud of him, and she was keen on getting his training into shape. She was keeping a secret from Muskedfur, one that would probably make him leap out of his fur. She glanced at her belly, that had grown slightly bigger. Rainpaw had told her that her kits would come soon. He was almost as shocked as she was, but in the end, Hollyheart had felt so happy with the news. It meant that there would be even more kits in the Clan.

"Sure," she replied in a brisk tone.

She led the way towards the stream near the WindClan border - prey was easier to find here then anywhere else, other then the Ancient Oak. Hollyheart watched as her apprentice stalked towards a young rabbit that was nibbling on a piece of grass. Though the scent of WindClan had faded since they moved to the barn, Hollyheart knew that a patrol would look for any excuse to attack, so she kept an extra eye out just in case. Suddenly Branchpaw lunged after the rabbit. Hollyheart could hear its' terrified words as it raced on, deeper into the forest. But Branchpaw was faster, and he soon caught up with it. With one quick bite, Branchpaw killed the rabbit. The pain that Hollyheart felt was nothing. She had gotten used to it now, and Hollyheart learned to ignore it for the most part.

Branchpaw padded up to her with the rabbit in his jaws. Hollyheart purred. "That was perfect! It looks like you've gotten better at chasing rabbits," she added.

The brown tabby suddenly looked worried as he glanced at his kill. "That doesn't mean I'm a WindClan cat does it?" He asked.

The black she-cat almost burst out laughing. Why would WindClan chase him then if he were part of their Clan? She flicked her tail over his ear and watched as he continued to hunt throughout the day. When Hollyheart was sure that he had caught a suitable amount, she led the way back to camp. "Make sure you give that rabbit to the elders," Hollyheart told him as he dropped the fresh-kill on the pile. "I'm sure Sandstorm will be pleased, along with Millie."

Graystripe's former mate had moved to the elders' den last moon, and Hollyheart was almost releived that she did. Millie still did not forget about Graystripe. Every time Hollyheart spoke to the striped gray tabby, Millie would always say the same thing: 'I'm fine.'

Camp was busier then usual; Squirrelflight had had her kits last night, during a rainstorm of all times. She had two healthy kits: Ivykit and Leapordkit. Hollyheart had gone in to visit before leaving with Branchpaw, and she saw that Ivykit was a brown-and-white tabby, while Leapordkit was a spotted golden tabby. Both looked like their parents in so many ways. Poppyfrost had helped with the birth, and Hollyheart knew that the tortoiseshell was only practicing for when she would have her kits.

She padded over to Muskedfur, who was crouched over a pigeon that one of the apprentices had caught. She flicked her tail over his shoulder, and he glanced up. "Muskedfur, their's something I need to tell you," she whispered.

The dark brown tabby tom blinked in surprise, but nodded and followed her as she stepped into the forest. She didn't want the whole of ThunderClan listening in to their conversation. Hollyheart took a deep breath, and then exhaled.

"Is there something wrong?" Muskedfur asked with a worried look at her.

"No mouse-brain!" Hollyheart snapped. "I wanted to tell you in private. I'm expecting kits." Her heart fluttered as the words slipped out of her mouth. Muskedfur gaped at her with wide yellow eyes. Then he purred and licked her cheek.

"That's great Hollyheart!" He mewed. "When are they coming?" He asked in a more gentle tone.

"Rainpaw said they'd be coming soon," she replied.

Muskedfur purred more loudly, and flicked his tail over her ear. "We should get back to camp, it's getting late," he meowed.

Even though the sun was still out, Hollyheart could see that it was sinking beneath the trees. She sighed, wishing she could stay out in the forest for a few more minutes. When Muskedfur caught her look, he sat down beside her. He pressed is body close to her, and Hollyheart's whiskers twitched a little. They sat there for a few moments, and Hollyheart did her best to remember this moment. It would be a moment that she and Muskedfur would have forever.

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Sunlight peered through the thick brambles of the nursery. Hollyheart yawned and opened her eyes, drinking in the warm scents of milk and kits. The last time she had been in here, Cinderheart was nursing her alongside her brother Lynxclaw.

Squirrelflight's its, now a couple of moons old, were scrambling around the dark ginger she-cat. Poppyfrost's one tiny kit was suckling from her side. Sadly, the tortoiseshell's second kit did not make it. Molekit was the only survivor. Poppyfrost tenderly licked the little black kit - a copy of his father Spiderleg.

White in the nursery, Hollyheart heard from Muskedfur that Rosefoot had taken over Branchpaw's training. The dark cream she-cat had gotten quite close to the brown tabby apprentice, and Hollyheart knew they were the perfect match-up.

"Hey Hollyheart, how are you feeling?" Rainpaw asked as he squeezed his way into the nursery. In his jaws was a bundle of herbs, borage by the looks of it. He made an attempt to visit her every day, and Hollyheart was feeling as though Rainpaw never wanted to leave her side.

"I'm feeling great," she purred. "I think they're going to come any day now," she added as she pressed her paws to her belly. It was bulging now, but she knew that it would be a few more moons before they actually came. Rainpaw had told her she would most likely have two kits, just like Squirrelflight.

"Well, Jayfeather told me to bring you this borage," the blue-gray tom pushed the shiny, strong smelling leaves towards her.

Hollyheart nodded and began to chew on the leaves. Despite the fact that they tasted bitter, she knew they would help her when it came time to feed her kits. When she was finished, she mewed her goodbye to Rainpaw and watched him leave. She hoped that Jayfeather would give her friend his full name soon, Rainpaw deserved it more then she did.

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**A/N: *Sigh* yet another crappy ending. When will they end? Well, anyways, I bet you're all shocked to hear that she's expecting kits! So yet another couple of moons pass in the next chapter, yadayada. Anyways, PLEASE leave a review!**


	16. Chapter 14

**A/N: Okay, ignore the last author's note on the bottom of the last chapter. I want at LEAST 2 NEW REVIEWS. If you could tell your friends about this fanfic., I would tell mine about yours. Anyways, thanks Emberheart0 for reviewing, you've reviewed every chapter I posted so you get a Hollyheart plushie!**

~Chapter 14~

A loud yowling woke Hollyheart up. She blinked her eyes and saw that Squirrelflight had stepped out of the nursery. Poppyfrost was taking care of Ivykit and Leapordkit, who were now four moons old. It wouldn't be long before they were made apprentices. Hollyheart flicked her ears and turned to look at Poppyfrost.

"I don't know what's going on," the tortoiseshell mewed.

So Hollyheart pushed her way through the brambles of the nursery, despite her bulging belly and gasped in horror. Lightningpaw's body was splayed out in the clearing. Blood welled from a deep wound on her shoulder, and her eyes were glazed with death. Hollyheart stared at her in shock.

"What happened?" She demanded.

Muskedfur touched her shoulder gently, and she watched as Rainpaw and Jayfeather examined the body. "A cat killed him," Jayfeather finally muttered. To show them, he placed one extended claw on the cut, and Hollyheart saw that it was almost a perfect fit. She pressed her face into Muskedfur's fur as Briarleaf came running from the warriors' den, with wide eyes that were filled with grief.

"No! Why did she have to die?" She wailed. "Why couldn't StarClan take me instead?"

Mudpaw, Sunpaw and Hazepaw joined their mother, and soon Bumblestripe and Blossomleaf slowly followed. Lightningpaw had been their kin, and Hollyheart knew that they would share their sister's grief. She bowed her head for a moment, but then her eyes flashed with anger. How could any cat do this to one another? She felt as though she couldn't trust anyone now. _Please don't take my kits like this, _she prayed silently. She noticed that Muskedfur was trembling beside her, and Hollyheart knew he was thinking the same thing.

"Briarleaf I'm sorry, but it looks as though he was murdered by another cat," Jayfeather meowed in a calm voice. It sounded as though he were forcing himself to remain calm, despite the tragedy that had just happened. Hollyheart wished she could control her emotions like that. It would make life so much easier. "I didn't recognize the scent. Spiderleg, did you say she was found near the stream?"

The long legged black tom nodded, though his eyes were also filled with horror, as if he had seen something terrible. Suddenly a thought occured to Hollyheart. _Maybe I could ask someone else what happened. But it can't be a cat, _she thought with a flick of her tail. It would be about time she put her power to good use. ThunderClan would thank her in the end. _But then, what if we didn't want to know? _She suddenly thought as she glanced at Lightningpaw's body.

But the longer she stared at it, the more she realized that if she just looked at the cut, she would know exactly who it was. She pushed past Jayfeather and heard the gray tabby hiss in annoyance, but Hollyheart ignored it. She stared at the scratch, long enough to realize that it came from the claws of an extremely aggressive cat. The scratch was long and deep, coming from a long claw. _Snakeclaw! _She realized that Lightningpaw had been murdered by the ShadowClan warrior.

Hollyheart remembered when she was at the Gathering, the dark brown tabby had unsheathed his claws. Hollyheart and Shellspots had both been shocked to see how long they were, like a tiger's claw. Her heart pounded as she tried to think of what to say. If she accused any warrior of treachery, Bramblestar would want to know why. And even if she _did _accuse Snakeclaw in front of ShadowClan, he would just lie in front of them.

"Hollyheart, are you okay?" Muskedfur asked as he approached her. She hadn't realized that she was shaking.

With a shake of her head, Hollyheart mewed, "I'm fine. I'm just wondering who could have done this."

Her mate looked at her skeptically, but he nodded. She didn't feel like staying out here, in case any warrior questioned why she had looked over his body. Hollyheart let Muskedfur guide her back to the nursery, and she saw that Squirrelflight had returned. Ivykit and Leapordkit had sensed their mother's distress and were both staring at her with wide eyes.

It took Hollyheart a few moments to finally relax in her nest. She soon fell asleep, though in her dreams, Snakeclaw invaded the forest with his terrifying dark amber eyes and long deadly claws. He glared at her and whispered, "I know who you are..."

The horror that filled Hollyheart slowly ebbed away as she fell into a deeper sleep. She found herself hunting in the forest of StarClan, and she felt peaceful here. But even here, tensions were high. Lightningpaw even came up to her with wide green eyes and looked at her with shock. "You're the one," she mewed.

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**A/N: Dun dun dun dun! Well, it looks as though one cat knows who Hollyheart is. Anyone want to guess? By the way, I'm sorry I made it so short, I hade to make this a filler so that people would know what happened to poor Lightningpaw. And so more deaths will come from Snake's reign of terror...**


	17. Chapter 15

**A/N: So I bet no one expecting what just happened in the last chapter. Anyways, thanks flareon200 and allygirl56 for reviewing!**

~Chapter 15~

Darkness swelled around Hollyheart as she padded through the forest. Her heart pounded with fear as she recognized this place. It was the same forest she had been in when she was an apprentice. The thought of coming back made her feel tiny as she padded through the dead bracken leaves and bushes. A low dust cloud loomed over the ground, making her cough several times as she stared around.

_I shouldn't be here, _she thought as she glanced at her swollen belly. _Not when I'm expecting kits, _she added.

Hollyheart's fur prickled uneasily as she stalked through a bramble thicket. One of its thorns caught on her fur, opening a cut on her shoulder. Hollyheart winced as blood welled out. She shouldn't even feel pain! And yet, her paws began to hurt as she padded on. Until she reached a clearing.

There, a dark brown tabby figure stood, gazing into the shadows. He had ice-blue eyes, and broad shoulders. He looked so familiar that it almost made Hollyheart gasp in shock. She blinked and stopped for a heartbeat, wondering whether or not he saw it.

"Welcome young one," the voice was icy cold, and it made Hollyheart's fur crawl. "I've been expecting you." Hollyheart saw that it was the dark brown tabby.

"What do you mean?" She asked in a high pitched tone. "Why have you brought me here?"

The dark tabby stared at her with his ice-blue eyes, and the look made Hollyheart shudder. This was a powerful cat, despite the fact that he was skinny and full of burrs.

"Hawkfrost, leave her alone!" A loud hiss sounded from behind. Hollyheart turned to see Bluestar approaching, with eyes that were cold and furious. Hollyheart stepped back as Hawkfrost snarled. He looked as though he might attack the former ThunderClan leader, but instead, Hawkfrost snarled once again and stalked away, with his tail whipping from side to side. Hollyheart stared after him, for once feeling grateful that Bluestar had arrived.

The blue-gray she-cat turned to stare at Hollyheart. "Follow me," she meowed.

Hollyheart nodded and followed Bluestar, though she was stumbled after her, because of her swollen belly. As they approached a brightly lit patch of ferns, the forest changed. From a cold, dead looking forest, to one that looked as bright as green-leaf. Warm air brushed past Hollyheart as she followed Bluestar. She narrowed her eyes through the darkness, and saw a new shape form before them. It looked so familiar that it almost made Hollyheart cry out in grief. "Lightningpaw!" She didn't yowl it, but instead whispered the name. It semed to be enough, because the pale ginger apprentice looked up to stare at Hollyheart with bright amber eyes.

Bluestar glanced over her shoulder with grief filled eyes. "Her death was meant to happen," she murmured. "I am sorry for Briarleaf."

Before Hollyheart could reply, the forest rapidly changed. She felt a sharp pain in her belly, and realized all too fast what was happening. _My kits! They're coming! _She thought as she felt another sharp pain. "Help!" She yowled out loud.

She opened her eyes and found herself in the nursery, where Jayfeather and Rainpaw were crouched over her. Hollyheart could hear Muskedfur outside, sounding worried. Her heart was pounding faster then ever, and she felt another sharp pain.

"Hollyheart, you have to push!" Jayfeather hissed.

The black she-cat cringed as she pushed, and then she felt her belly ripple. Suddenly there was a mewling sound, and Hollyheart closed her eyes as she heard it. She heard Rainpaw lick her new kit dry, and for a moment, she thought that it was over. But then Hollyheart felt yet another sharp pain, this time much stronger. Instinctively, Hollyheart pushed again, and felt another ripple. Then another mewling started.

Hollyheart opened her eyes and saw that Poppyfrost was licking her second kit. It was a tiny pale gray kit with white paws. Hollyheart stared at it in awe, but then her eyes widened even more as she spotted her first-born kit. It was a brown-and-black kit with lighter brown stripes. Hollyheart purred, and though she felt exhausted, she turned to stare at them.

"They're beautiful," she whispered as she washed them. Poppyfrost had handed the pale gray kit over, while Rainpaw kept watch over her. Jayfeather padded out of the den, and for once, Hollyheart felt a sense of pride coming off of him. Almost immediately they began to greedily suckle her milk, and Hollyheart had to keep herself from laughing at them.

Muskedfur padded in and stared at Hollyheart with warm eyes. He blinked at the sight of their two new kits, and then purred. "They're perfect," he murmured as he licked her ear. "Have you thought of names for them?" He added.

Squirrelflight, who had watched the scene, joined them. Her green eyes were filled with awe as she stared at them. Leapordkit and Ivykit watched with wide eyes, while Molekit scrambled over his mother to get a better look.

"I think I'll name the brown-and-black one Pepperkit," Hollyheart replied, pointing her tail towards the first kit who had come, "and this one Silverkit," her tail pointed to the pale gray kit.

Her mate purred and licked her ear once again. "Those are great names," he meowed.

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"Hey Hollyheart, guess what?" Rainpaw's meow sounded from outside. Almost a moon had passed since the coming of Pepperkit and Silverkit. The Clan had treated them with deep respect and congratulations. Hollyheart knew they would be wonderful warriors some day.

"What?" She asked. Curiosity knawed at her and she stepped out of the nursery.

"I've got my name! I'm now known as Rainshower!" The blue-gray tom almost squealed.

Hollyheart purred and licked her friends shoulder. "That's great," she mewed. She had forgotten that last night was the half-moon. Hollyheart knew that medicine cats traveled every half-moon in order to share tongues with StarClan. Jayfeather must have given Rainshower his name last night. When Rainshower was finished bouncing around like an excited kit, Jayfeather slowly approached and placed his tail on his shoulder.

"But that doesn't mean you're not my apprentice," he murmured. "You may have the full responsibility of a medicine cat, but you're still an apprentice."

Rainshower stared at his mentor, and though Jayfeather sounded stern, Hollyheart knew that deep inside, the gray tabby was bursting with pride. She watched them go, and padded back into the nursery after hearing her kits mewl for more milk. She was glad that her friend had received his full name, and she knew that Rainshower would make a great medicine cat.

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**A/N: Now aren't you surprised that Hollyheart had her kits? Anyways, I'm glad Rainshower finally earned his full name, and you'll have to excuse me if I have any mispellings.**


	18. Chapter 16

**A/N: Wow, I can't believe I have over 50 reviews! This is a new record for me. _But _I also have over 800 hits, so for those who have looked at this story, you'd better actually leave a review! Anyways, thanks allygirl56, Hollyleaf_supporter_985, anf FallingEchos for reviewing, you guys rock!**

~Chapter 16~

"Mamma can we go out today?" Pepperkit mewed. Her brown-and-black fur stuck out as her amber eyes gleamed.

Hollyheart sighed and murmured, "alright, just don't go too far." She watched as her two kits bounded out with Molekit, Leapordkit and Ivykit. They were practically like littermates. Two suns had passed since Rainshower told her the news of his warrior name. Not much had happened, though Mousewhisker and his patrol had come back reporting they scented a fox nearby in ThunderClan.

She knew it wasn't much of a threat, so long as Bramblestar or Brackenfur sent out a patrol to get rid of the beast. Hollyheart had only seen a fox once, when she was just an apprentice. But it had been on ShadowClan's side of the border, so Brackenfur simply stated that it was their problem. Despite that, she had never felt comfortable around the large, hungry creature that could easily kill cats. She had even heard nursery tales of when foxes would chase young kits who did not obey their mother. But soon Hollyheart learned that it was just used to scare kit into listening to their mother.

Squirrelflight was sharing tongues with Poppyfrost, who was just coming back from a case of whitecough. It had not been seveare, and Jayfeather told the tortoiseshell that no one else was infected. Hollyheart had felt releived to hear that bit of news. The last thing the Clan needed was an outbreak of whitecough or greencough. It would make them seem weak in front of the other Clans, and that would be an open invitation for battle.

"It won't be long before Leapordkit and Ivykit are apprentices," Squirrelflight purred as she sat down next to Hollyheart.

The dark ginger she-cat's tail was curled around her paws, and she was staring through the entrance. Hollyheart saw that the kits had gone to the elders' den to listen to stories. Pepperkit, the more adventurous of her two, was bouncing around as Muskedfur approached. She purred as he cuffed the kit with his tail. Muskedfur could be stern with them, but deep down she knew he loved them more then anything else, besides her.

"Your kits are almost six moons old aren't they?" Poppyfrost asked in a calm voice.

Squirrelflight nodded, and her green eyes gleamed. "You know, it will be my first time having kits," she added softly.

Poppyfrost bowed her head, while Hollyheart stared at her in shock. She remembered Cinderheart telling of the story when Leafpool, ThunderClans' former medicine cat, had three kits. Her mother never told her the names of these kits, but she said that one of them went mad and told every Clan in the forest of Leafpool's treachery. Hollyheart had noticed the look of sorrow in her mother's eyes then, and never thought of asking her to continue her story. But she knew that the cat who went mad had been one of Cinderheart's best friends. Amd Lionblaze's sister. _So does that mean we're related? _She wondered.

As Hollyheart tried to think of what she had told herself, she heard pawsteps approach the camp entrance. Immediately she hissed, "kits come back!"

The five kits turned their heads and all scrambled towards the nursery. When Pepperkit and Silverkit were back, Hollyheart began to lick the dirt that they received after rolling around on the ground. She heard Bramblestar's hiss sound from his den, and then his paws skid down from the Highledge.

The black she-cat flicked her tail, telling the kits to stay near Squirrelflight or Poppyfrost. Something was not right, and Hollyheart wanted to know what was going on. She poked her head out of the nursery and saw that Bramblestar was discussing something with Lionblaze. Her father's hackles rose and fell with anger; she knew he was one of the most agressive cats when it came to battle.

Bramblestar looked both shocked and furious as Lionblaze described something. "Then send out a patrol to attack them," he growled. "ShadowClan have no right to change their scent markers."

Hollyheart stared at the dark brown tabby in surprise. Usually Bramblestar was fairly calm and reasonable, but this time he looked furious. Obviously ShadowClan had provoked an attack, and now Lionblaze came to get more warriors. She thrust her way into the group that had gathered and hissed, "I will help."

Muskedfur flicked his tail over her ear and muttered, "what about our kits?"

She turned to stare at him with burning green eyes. "This is one battle I will _not _miss! Besides, Poppyfrost can take care of them," she said as she sat down.

Lionblaze blinked and nodded at her. The group consisted of five warriors: Muskedfur, Hollyheart, Lionblaze, Mossfoot and Briarleaf. Hollyheart hoped this would be enough to defeat the ShadowClan cats. The golden tabby led the way through the forest, and Hollyheart bounded after him with Muskedfur close behind. Soon, the sound of yowling and hissing filled the air, and Hollyheart spotted Brackenfur locked in battle with a black tom. The ThunderClan deputy rolled onto his back and clawed at the black tom's belly. Hollyheart watched as the ShadowClan warrior yowled in pain and vanished into the darkness, leaving a trail of blood behind.

Suddenly something slammed into her side. Hollyheart saw that it was Owlflight, a light brown tabby tom. She growled and began to lash out, though Owlflight kept dodging her she thought of something. _I can do this, _she thought as she placed one paw in front of Owlflight. He stared at her in confusion, and while he was distraced, Hollyheart raked one claw over his side. Owlflight let out a yowl of pain and bounded away, towards where the black tom had vanished.

The battle was slowly dwindling to a few ShadowClan warriors. Hollyheart heard a yowl from somewhere near her, and saw that Lynxclaw was pinned by Dawnfrost, the ShadowClan deputy. She challenged the cream-furred she-cat with a loud caterwaul. Dawnfrost, who kept one paw on Lynxclaw's neck bristled at the sight of his sister. Hollyheart lunged and raked Dawnfrost's ears. The deputy let out a screech that echoed around the clearing, and soon she let go of Lynxclaw. Then Hollyheart skidded to a halt, only to feel claws rake her leg. She gasped at the sharp pain, and whirled around to see Snakeclaw glaring at her with icy cold eyes.

"Retreat! ShadowClan retreat!" Dawnfrost yowled as she limped towards the darkness. But Snakeclaw didn't listen to his deputy's order. Instead, he jumped and pinned Hollyheart to the ground, winding her for a moment. His amber eyes burned like cold fire, and for a heartbeat, Hollyheart was sure he would kill her. But he only raked her belly, making her yowl in pain, then bounded after Dawnfrost.

"Hollyheart!" Muskedfur's cry made her open her eyes. She saw that the clearing was now surrounded by ThunderClan warriors. Lynxclaw was licking a wound on his paw and casting worried glances towards her. "Are you okay?" Muskedfur asked as he groomed her unkempt fur.

"I'm fine," Hollyheart insisted, though her belly was bleeding, she didn't feel nearly as bad as she had expected. There was another sharp cut on her side leg, and one near her neck. She had been lucky that that was all Snakeclaw did to her. He could have easily killed her given the chance. "I got caught in the fray," she added as she tried to get up. But as she did so, she winced as the pain stung.

"Someone take her back to camp," Brackenfur meowed as he approached. "The rest of us will check to make sure they have really left and then set the markers."

With that said, Hollyheart leaned heavily on Muskedfur's side, flanked by Cinderheart and Lynxclaw. Lionblaze had chosen to stay behind and helped the others, though Hollyheart was certain he was hoping for more fighting.

When they finally reached camp, Hollyheart collapsed to the ground, unable to move. She heard her kits squeal as they spotted her, but Cinderheart hurried them back to the nursery. Muskedfur stayed at her side while Rainshower and Jayfeather examined her wounds. _Please StarClan, let me see my kits one more time, _she thought as the pain burned through her. She heard Rainshower's furious growl sound as he argued with Muskedfur, who insisted on staying with her.

"She shouldn't have joined the battle in the first place!" The blue-gray tom growled.

"I wasn't about to tell her what to do," Muskedfur replied. Hollyheart felt his tail lash on the ground. "If she wants to fight, it's her choice." He added in a firm tone. Hollyheart smiled to herself as she listened to her mate. He always knew what she wanted, even though she never told him she shouldn't be there. Rainshower was overly protective, and constantly kept an eye on her.

"That doesn't mean she should abandon her kits!" Rainshower hissed. "They were worried sick about her."

Muskedfur growled, but stayed where he was. The medicine cat's den was quiet now, except for Rainshower and Jayfeather looking for the right herbs to use on Hollyheart's wounds. She felt Rainshower's gentle touch as he placed a poultice on the scratch that covered her leg. Then Jayfeather's more gruff paws touched her belly wound and she groaned softly as he applied the herbs on it. After they were finished, Hollyheart relaxed a little. She could feel Muskedfur's tail as he gentle rubbed it on her back. And soon, the black she-cat slowly fell asleep, glad to have been part of the battle.

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**A/N: So what did you think? I thought it was the best chapter so far, since there was a battle. Anyways, PLEASE review!**


	19. Chapter 17

**A/N: Lol I'm bored. So thanks flareon200 for reviewing!**

~Chapter 17~

Hollyheart slowly opened her eyes to find herself in the nursery. She spotted Pepperkit and Silverkit sleeping beside her, their faces pressed close to her belly. She purred and licked them, careful to not wake them up. Squirrelflight was also sleeping, but Poppyfrost was outside. Molekit seemed to go with her. The small black kit was bouncing around, mewling excitedly. Hollyheart watched as the tortoiseshell queen padded back in. Poppyfrost's eyes widened as when she saw that Hollyheart was awake.

"It's good to see you're okay," she purred. Molekit quickly followed; his short tail stuck out in the air as though he had seen the greatest thing in his life. "Bramblestar is holding warrior ceremonies. I thought I should come in to check on you," she added with a flick of her tail.

The black she-cat nodded and slowly rose to her paws. She limped out to open her eyes into the harsh sunlight. New-leaf was well on its way, warm weather was coming sooner and sooner, and there had been no snow for the last moon. Bramblestar was crouched on the Highledge, while the rest of the Clan was gathered below. Hazeltail was sitting between Thornclaw, Spiderleg and Brightheart. Mossfoot was sitting near the edge of the clearing, with Leafspots, Icestorm and Rosefoot. Hollyheart watched as Sunpaw, Hazepaw and Mudpaw were led out into the clearing by their mentors. She realized that it was time for their warrior ceremony, and bowed her head as she thought that Lightningpaw should be there with them.

"I, Bramblestar, leader of ThunderClan, call upon my warrior ancestors so that they may look down upon these apprentices. They have trained hard and are ready to receive their warrior names. Sunpaw, Hazepaw, Mudpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code, and defend your Clan, even with your life?"

"I do," the three apprentices replied at once.

"Sunpaw, from this moment forward you will be known as Sunstream. StarClan honors you for your good humor and wisdom."

Hollyheart purred as the Clan chanted Sunstream's name. She knew that the tortoiseshell apprentice was friendly and easy to get along with. Hollyheart thought that Sunstream deserved her name as much as her brothers. "Hazepaw, from this moment forward you will be known as Hazepelt. StarClan honors you for your bravery and your skill of hunting." Bramblestar pressed his muzzle to Hazepelt's forehead, and Hazepelt licked it in return.

"Mudpaw, from this moment forward you will be known as Mudtalon. StarClan honors you for your leadership skills and cunning." The ThunderClan leader did the same with the pale brown tom. Mudtalon's amber eyes gleamed as he stared at Bramblestar.

The Clan chanted their names, and Hollyheart quickly joined in, "Sunstream! Hazepelt! Mudtalon!"

When the meeting was over, Hollyheart snuck back into the nursery, almost getting barreled into by Pepperkit and Silverkit. She gasped as Pepperkit landed on her belly, blinking at her with wide yellow eyes. Pepperkit was the braver of the two, and constantly got into trouble. Silverkit was quiet and thoughtful, she always thought of what to do before acting out. She was also more peaceful.

"Mother can we play outside?" Silverkit asked as she settled down next to Pepperkit.

Hollyheart exchanged a glance with Squirrelflight and Poppyfrost. "I don't see why not," she replied. "But Leapordkit, Ivykit and Molekit must go with you," she added as her kits began to squeal with excitement. The two of them nodded and bounded out of the nursery, causing a commotion as they did so.

She watched as Pepperkit yowled out loud. Cloudtail emerged from the warriors' den, fur bristling and his blue eyes gleaming in frustration. Mousewhisker and Bumblestripe both looked at them with narrowed eyes. Brightheart, who was leading a patrol, stared at them for a moment before shaking her head. The white-and-ginger she-cat led the way out, with Cragfur and Kerntail following. Foxwhisker and Lionblaze were working on the warriors' den. Hollyheart knew that it would have to be extended because of all the warriors ThunderClan had. It was a good sign, but it also meant making camp larger. Muskedfur padded up to her with a mouse in his jaws. He dropped it at her paws.

"I was thinking you might need a break after putting up with them," he mewed as he settled down beside her.

The black she-cat almost laughed as she began to gratefully eat the mouse. Muskedfur had spent a day with them when she was recovering from her injury, and he came back with his fur ruffled and his eyes blazing like fire. But in the end he forgave them and said that they were like a gift from StarClan. She licked his cheek and continued to eat her mouse.

Silverkit squealed and nearly knocked Pepperkit over as the two siblings attacked each other. Hollyheart watched intensily. Silverkit had the upper hand; she was stronger and more muscular. Her blue eyes gleamed like the lake as she began to bat at her sister's ear with her paw. Pepperkit hissed in frustration and began to nip at Silverkit's paw. The brown-and-black she-cat was faster, and was built like a WindClan cat. Silverkit, who was watching her sister, suddenly leaped at her tail. Pepperkit let out another squeal, but was cut off as Leapordkit joined in their game. Ivykit soon joined in too and began to nip at Pepperkit's paws.

"Okay, I'll be the ShadowClan leader, and you be the WindClan leader," Pepperkit finally meowed.

All kits began to form a small group. Leapordkit played Tigerstar, while Silverkit was Leapordkit's deputy. Ivykit joined Pepperkit's group, and Pepperkit became Onestar. Molekit just stayed where he was as he watched the fake fight. Hollyheart's whiskers twitched in amusement, and she padded back into the nursery. Squirrelflight was speaking with Bramblestar; the dark brown tabby must have come in while she was watching.

"Hey Hollyheart," Bramblestar meowed with a wave of his tail. "Squirrelflight and I were just discussing who should go to the Gathering," he added.

She blinked as she listened in. Usually the Clan leader shared this news with the deputy, but since the battle, Brackenfur had been badly battered. So Bramblestar chose to speak with his mate instead. "I think she could come," Squirrelflight muttered. "Poppyfrost could take care of Pepperkit and Silverkit."

Hollyheart's eyes widened as she realized that the dark ginger she-cat was talking about her. Squirrelflight's eyes were bright as she gazed at her. There was a mysterious look in them that made Hollyheart's fur crawl. What secret did this warrior have?

"Okay, then that's settled," Bramblestar said as he rose to his paws. Squirrelflight licked his cheek as he padded out of the nursery. Hollyheart shot her a grateful glance and followed him.

Pepperkit and Silverkit were still playing with Leapordkit and Ivykit. The four kits stopped as she came out. "Kits, I want you two to be nice to Poppyfrost, do you hear me?" She mewed.

Her kits stared at her with wide eyes, but nodded. Hollyheart joined the group of warriors who were chosen to come. She saw that Foxwhisker, Blossomleaf, Thornclaw, Cloudtail and Brightheart. Hollyheart followed them as Bramblestar led the way out of camp, mewling a final good-bye to Muskedfur. The sun was beginning to set as they bounded through the forest. Hollyheart had also seen that Sunstream, Hazepelt and Mudtalon held vigil at camp. Branchpaw bounded at her side, his fur fluffed up with excitement. She realized that this would be his first time at a Gathering, since Bramblestar didn't think the Clans would boad too well to having a cat from outside the Clans. Hollyheart knew that most cats did not like cats that were outside the Clans.

She gazed at the island that began to loom ahead. WindClan had finally shown up, Ashstar had claimed that they couldn't make it to the last Gathering she had been at because one of their elders die that night. Hollyheart knew that what the gray she-cat said was wrong; WindClan were still staying at the barn. Their scent faded along the border, and Hollyheart was getting more and more worried about it.

By now the moon was beginning to rise. Stars were gleaming in the sky, and Hollyheart felt comforted by the light of Silverpelt. The strong scent of ShadowClan also told her they were also here. She narrowed her eyes and wondered whether or not Russetstar would challenge Bramblestar for more territory. Hollyheart had remembered the dark ginger she-cat stating that ShadowClan had extended their territory, but she wasn't sure if that would be enough for the ambitious leader.

Bramblestar let out a yowl that rang through the clearing, and Hollyheart charged after her Clan as they sped towards the island. As soon as they crossed the tree bridge, Hollyheart placed her tail gently on Branchpaw's shoulder. "Why don't you talk with the apprentices?" She mewed. "They don't usually try to claw your ears off." Her whiskers twitched as she remembered that they were the same words Leafspots had told her back when they were apprentices.

The brown tabby nodded and bounded over to a group of WindClan apprentices who were speaking with ShadowClan apprentices. Hollyheart heard a yowl come from the log and saw that Mistystar led the way, followed quickly by her Clanmates. She looked around, hoping to see her friend Shellspots. But as the last RiverClan warrior and apprentice crossed, there was no sign of the gray she-cat. Hollyheart sighed and looked at her paws. She wished she could tell her about Pepperkit and Silverkit, but Hollyheart knew from experience that you couldn't be chosen to go to every Gathering.

When the leaders and deputies were assembled Hollyheart realized that Voletooth, the RiverClan deputy was not there. Instead, he was replaced by Reedwhisker, a black tom with bright amber eyes. She saw that Dawnfrost was there. The cream-furred she-cat still held the scars of their recent battle with ThunderClan. Hollyheart smirked at her and the deputy quickly looked away.

"Cats of all Clans, welcome to the Gathering!" Ashstar yowled. "Mistystar, would you like to begin?" She asked.

Mistystar nodded, and as she stepped up, Hollyheart noticed a look of grief in her blue eyes. "About three suns ago, Voletooth was mysteriously murdered. One of our warriors found his body near the ShadowClan border, and we saw that a cat killed him." Before she could continue, Hollyheart heard the ShadowClan warriors yowl in outrage. She remembered that Lightningpaw had been murdered by a cat as well. Could it possibly be the same one?

"Are you acussing my warriors of treachery?" Russetstar snarled. Her long tail lashed and her claws dug into the branch she was sitting on.

Hollyheart shuddered at the thought of getting her fur clawed off by this warriors. Russetstar was one of the most aggressive leaders of all Clans, and she knew how much the ShadowClan cat loved to fight.

"No I was not," Mistystar simply stated. Her tone was cool and level, but there was a trace of anger in her eyes. "I was merely stating that he was killed by another cat. Anyways, his spirit will be honered in StarClan. I have made Reedwhisker our new deputy."

The blue-gray she-cat pointed her tail at him, and he dipped his head in embarrassment as yowls of approval erupted from every Clan. Hollyheart knew that he was a popular cat; she remembered hearing from Shellspots that he had even been saved by Leafpool, ThunderClan's former medicine cat. She also joined in, and when they were finished, Ashstar spoke next. She could tell by the she-cat's thin fur that all wasn't well in WindClan, but Hollyheart knew that Ashstar would be too proud to admit it.

"All is well in WindClan," the gray she-cat began. "Prey is running well and we have one new warrior, Creekpool."

The Clans chanted the new name, and Hollyheart craned her neck to spot the new cat. Creekpool was pretty pale gray she-cat who held a proud look to her. Her muscles rippled under her pelt, despite the ribs that stuck out on her sides. Bramblestar spoke next, and Hollyheart knew exactly what he would say.

"All is well in ThunderClan. But about two suns ago, we caught ShadowClan trying to move their border. Luckily we drove them out. And we have three new warriors, Sunstream, Hazepelt and Mudtalon are all holding vigil in camp."

Almost as soon as the ThunderClan leader finished, Hollyheart heard a defiant hiss from Dawnfrost. Russetstar's tail lashed again, and her amber eyes flashed with fury. "My warriors did _not _cross the border," she hissed. "Snakeclaw was leading the patrol, he only said that he spotted a couple of ThunderClan cats crossing the border, isn't that right?" She added with a glance at the dark tabby warrior.

Snakeclaw nodded in agreemant, and Hollyheart thought for a moment that he would lung at her. Cearly Russetstar did not know about what really happened. And if that were the case, then Dawnfrost was on Snakeclaw's side as well. And that meant that there was more trouble to come if the ShadowClan deputy trusted the dark warrior. ThunderClan could be wiped out by these two dangerous cats.

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**A/N: So what did you think? I'm glad I finally made a super long chapter! Please read and review!**


	20. Chapter 18

**A/N: Wow, one review already! So thanks to Hollyleaf_supporter_986 for reviewing. And as most of you have noticed, I update twice a day. It might change to three times a day, depending on what happens. So here's the next chapter!**

~Chapter 18~

A loud hiss sounded in the back of the group of cats. Hollyheart saw that it was Crowfeather, a dark gray tom with fierce blue eyes. He stared at Snakeclaw coldly and spat, "mouse-dung to that!" She couldn't help but nod in agreement. Snakeclaw was both aggressive and cunning, she had felt his claws on her own belly. She knew that the dark tabby was probably already plotting to take over the Clan. But Russetstar didn't seem to care, as she went on with the news.

"Not much else has happened in ShadowClan, we have a new warrior, Pinenose. He is also holding vigil back at camp." With that, Russetstar jumped off of her branch and joined the ShadowClan warriors. Hollyheart stared after the dark ginger she-cat, anger and frustration burning in her green eyes. Why couldn't this mouse-brain see what was happening? Dawnfrost already believed that Snakeclaw was a good warrior. It seemed likely that if she became the leader, Snakeclaw would become the deputy.

The Clans on the island assembled into small groups, discussing what was happening. Hollyheart padded over to join ThunderClan as Bramblestar gathered up the warriors. Ashstar was once again speaking to him in an urgent tone. "Bramblestar, as a leader and a former mother, I am begging you for help. My Clan is starving and the Twolegs have let their dogs lose." Hollyheart stared at the gray she-cat in shock. Ashstar had always acted like a proud and devoted leader, but seeing her now, crestfallen and desperate, Hollyheart guessed that she had lost it. She came up to her and gently brushed her tail over Ashstar's shoulder.

"We have enough problems Ashstar," Bramblestar began. "I am sorry but we cannot help WindClan right now."

Suddenly Ashstar's yellow eyes flashed with anger and she hissed, "very well then. When you see that our warriors have fallen, you will know that it was your fault." With that, she stalked over to her warriors and began leading them back to WindClan's territory.

Hollyheart stared after them, wishing that she could help. Then a sudden thought came to her. _While my kits are sleeping, I could slip away and hunt for WindClan, _she thought as she gazed at them. Despite the fact that she didn't like leaving her kits alone, she knew it had to be done. It was for the good of WindClan.

She followed ThunderClan home and heard excited squeals surround her. Muskedfur was sitting with Pepperkit and Silverkit, and the dark brown tabby looked as though his fur was ruffled. Hollyheart purred and licked his cheek. He must have been playing with them while the patrol was gone. Mudtalon, Sunstream and Hazepelt were still holding their vigil. Hazepelt gave Hollyheart a nod, and she slowly nodded back. He was acting more and more like Briarleaf every day. He was quiet and thoughtful, and had the skills to be a good deputy.

"Come on kits, it's time for sleep," she mewed as she licked them clean.

The black she-cat herded her kits back to the nursery. Hollyheart suddenly wondered whether or not Bramblestar would tell the Clan about what had happened at the Gathering, but as his tail disappeared into his den, she guessed he would tell them in the morning.

Darkness swept over the forest as Hollyheart padded through it. She stopped at the edge of a pool that gleamed like stars. Crouching over it was Bluestar, and a small tortoiseshell with bright amber eyes, white paws and a dappled pelt. Hollyheart had never seen a cat so beautiful, and she guessed that it was Spottedleaf, a cat that had been spoken of only in nursery tales. She saw that Bluestar was staring at her with intense blue eyes, as if there was something urgent that needed to be said.

"Hollyheart," Bluestar dipped her head. The black she-cat blinked her green eyes, wondering what was going on. "_Two have come, and one will die. Two who have come from the path of darkness. Only the one star may save the Clans." _Bluestar's words were so strange that it almost took Hollyheart a moment to think of what it meant. She blinked, and when she opened them again, the two StarClan cats were gone.

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"Let all cats old enough gather beneath the Highledge for a Clan meeting!" Bramblestar's yowl made Hollyheart open her eyes.

She slowly rose to her paws, and padded out of the nursery. Hollyheart saw that Leapordkit and Ivykit were both looking at Bramblestar with wide eyes, and she realized that today they would become apprentices. She spotted Pepperkit and Silverkit staring at them with awed looks. Silverkit took a step forward and nuzzled Leapordkit affectionately. "You'll come and tell us stories won't you?" She asked.

Leapordkit blinked his amber eyes and licked her shoulder. "Of course I will," he purred.

Hollyheart hadn't realized how close they had really gotten. Seeing them now made her think that they would make the perfect match. Leapordkit was brave and cunning, while Silverkit was fast and thoughtful. She glanced at Pepperkit, who was purring at her sister and flicking her tail tip. Hollyheart prayed to StarClan that her other kit would find someone as loyal as Muskedfur.

"Today we will be naming two new apprentices. Come forward you two," Bramblestar flicked his tail at Squirrelflight's kits. They looked at each other and stumbled forward, with their tails high in the air. "By naming apprentices we show that our Clan will remain strong. Mousewhisker, you are more then ready for your apprentice. You had a fine mentor in Spiderleg, and I expect you to pass this on to Leapordpaw."

Bramblestar waited as Leapordpaw touched noses with his new mentor. The two cats sat in the middle of the gathered cats. "Brightheart, you are a fine and skilled warrior, and you know what it is like to suffer from pain. You are also more then ready for an apprentice, and I expect you to pass on all that you learned from Whitestorm to Ivypaw."

Hollyheart purred as Brightheart touched noses with her new apprentice. The ginger-and-white she-cat had never trained one before, not since Jayfeather decided to become a medicine cat. She knew how much of an honor this was for Brightheart. She watched as the two new apprentices went to locate a new place to sleep, and follow their mentors out into the forest. With a wide yawn, the black she-cat slipped back into the nursery. But her sleep was invaded by the voice of Bluestar, with the same ominous words she had spoken in her other dream, "_Two have come and one will die." _Her heart pounded as Hollyheart tried to figure out what this dream meant. Was she meant to die in front of the Clan? Or was there someone else involved in her dream that she wasn't aware of yet?

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**A/N: *Sigh* Come ON people, review!**


	21. Chapter 19

~Chapter 19~

A mouse dangled from Hollyheart's jaws as she crept through WindClan territory. It was the night after the Gathering, and she was determined to help WindClan no matter what the cost. She knew that her kits were safely tucked in, and that was all that mattered. She had also caught a rabbit and even a shrew, hoping that it would be enough to satisfy the warriors and queens.

Suddenly she heard a hiss from behind her, and Hollyheart whirled around to find Leafspots glaring at her. "What are you doing here?" She demanded. "And why are you stealing prey?"

Hollyheart dropped the mouse at her paws and wished that she could have scented Leafspots earlier. But it was too late now, and she would have no choice but to tell her. "I can't allow WindClan to starve. No matter what Bramblestar says, no one deserves to die like that," she meowed.

Leafspots gazed at her friend with wide eyes, then nodded. Hollyheart was grateful to have a friend like her. Leafspots would understand anything she did; this wasn't just to earn a higher rank in the Clan. She wanted to make sure WindClan was safe. There _had _to be four Clans.

"Then let me help you," Leafspots mewed. "I caught a squirrel earlier that I could share with you," she added with a glance at a freshly dug up mound of dirt.

The thought that another cat would be helping almost made Hollyheart sigh with relief. But this was a dangerous mission, and if she were caught, she would be in trouble. It was only right that she be the only one to get punished.

"No, I don't want you to get in trouble," she whispered in a regretful voice.

The dark brown she-cat nodded, understanding in her eyes. Hollyheart licked her ear and trekked on, towards the nest where the Clan was staying. As she skirted through WindClan territory, she could hear a dog barking in the distance. And what really made her fur stand on end, was the fact that there was no prey scent. Now she understood why WindClan were starving. The dogs and the Twolegs must have been scaring all of their prey into their holes. She glared after the Twolegs, and slinked past them without getting noticed.

Eventually, Hollyheart spotted the barn. She knew that if she just approached, she would probably get attacked by a patrol. But as she spotted two cats running towards her, she realized that she could easily take them down. They were nothing but skin and bone now.

She waited for them to run towards her, and when they stopped, they eyes her with hunger. But they weren't staring at her, they were staring at her prey. "Is that...for us?" Whitetail, the deputy of WindClan asked. Hollyheart nodded, and both cats stared at each other in shock.

"What if it's poisoned?" Breezepelt, a black tom hissed.

Whitetail cuffed his ears with her tail and glanced back at Hollyheart. "Please, would you help us take it?" She asked in a gentle voice.

Hollyheart nodded again, and followed them. That barn that WindClan now called home was hardly enough for a shelter. It was wooden and had many holes and cracks in it. It looked like it might fall apart at any second, but she knew that if it were safe enough to hold the WindClan cats, it wouldn't. She could smell a strong tang of more Twolegs, and shuddered at the thought of actually running into one.

While she wasn't paying attention, Whitetail and Breezepelt disappeared into a small hole. Hollyheart glanced around, wondering where they went, when Whitetail poked her head out meowing, "this way."

It was a tight squeeze, but Hollyheart made it through. She stared at it with wide eyes. The barn was rather cold and musty; hardly fit to be called a shelter. She felt eyes burning into her pelt as she followed Whitetail towards where Ashstar must be staying. Beside Ashstar was a small body, and Hollyheart's fur bristled with fear as she wondered if she were suddenly too late.

"Brownpaw is dead," the gray she-cat sighed.

A low eerie wail sounded from the back of Hollyheart. She turned to see Heathertail, a pretty light brown tabby grieving for the small brown apprentice. Hollyheart heard Breezepelt gasp and saw him rush forward, then his whiskers and tail sagged. He let out a mournful wail as well, and it almost made Hollyheart shiver.

Suddenly Ashstar turned to stare at Hollystar with narrowed eyes. "What do we have here? A spy?" She spat.

This wasn't the same noble leader that Hollyheart had seen at the Gathering. Instead, Ashstar almost looked furious at the sight of Hollyheart. She dropped her fresh-kill on the floor and watched as more cats emerged from her den. She felt uncomfortable under the stares of so many cats, and licked her chest fur in embarrassment.

"She's brought us fresh-kill Ashstar, something the Clan needs more then anything," Whitetail explained.

But Ashstar didn't seem to listen. "Traitor! You're from ThunderClan and you've come to gloat about how well you're fed!" She yowled.

Hollyheart backed towards the entrance, unable to listen to anymore of this. There was a mad light in Ashstar's eyes that she had not seen before. Now Ashstar looked desperate and hungry. Those were not good combinations.

"Drive her out now!" Ashstar commanded.

Without waiting to see if anyone listened, Hollyheart slipped through the hole and bounded out. She raced through WindClan's territory and back onto ThunderClan. She soon reached camp and slipped through the secret escape that she had found a moon ago. There, her kits waited for her. At least she would be welcomed home.

Silverkit and Pepperkit were sleeping beside Molekit, and the three kits suddenly looked like littermates. Hollyheart sighed as she stared at her kits. What kind of a mother was she? She never spent time with her kits and was always wandering off somewhere. She slipped into her nest and pulled her kits closer to her, and soon fell asleep, hoping that Ashstar would not bring up what had happened in WindClan at the next Gathering.

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A couple of more moons go by. Nothing much happens. Molekit was now Molepaw, his mentor Muskedfur. Soon, Silverkit and Pepperkit are old enough to become apprentices, and Leafspots moves to the nursery, saying she is expecting kits. A while after, a patrol of ShadowClan warriors attack. Bramblestar loses a life, and Toadfur dies. Millie dies from greencough. And now, on to the story...

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Hollyheart purred as she watched Silverkit chase Pepperkit around. Leapordpaw was also watching as he left camp with his mentor, Mousewhisker. Hollyheart glanced back at Leafspots. The dark brown she-cat's belly was bulging now, and it wouldn't be long before her kits came. Despite the fact that Leafspots had told her she was expecting kits, Hollyheart never found out who the father was. Lynxclaw was busy sharing tongues with Icestorm, so Hollyheart didn't think that it was her brother. In fact, she hadn't seen anyone get close to Leafspots like most cats usually did. Even Muskedfur constantly visited her now that she was more responsible with her kits. She wanted to spend as much time with Silverkit and Pepperkit as she could, since she knew that it wouldn't be long before they were made apprentices.

"Hey Silverkit, you wanna play catch the mouse?" Pepperkit mewed as she bounded forward. Her yellow eyes gleamed with mischief as she bounced around Silverkit.

The pale gray she-cat's whiskers twitched - she always did that when she thought - and then Silverkit nodded. "But this time _you _get to be the mouse," she replied.

The two kits squealed and laughed as they played, and Hollyheart didn't even notice the approach of Bramblestar. He was watching them affectionately, and Hollyheart wondered if he would want to mentor one of her kits.

"Hollyheart, as you know it is almost time your kits became apprentices. I was wondering if you would like to choose their mentors," he meowed as he turned to stare back at her.

The black she-cat thought for a moment. Brackenfur was not only her former mentor, but he was her grandfather as well. Would he make a good mentor for them? But when she saw Pepperkit's energy, the brown-and-black kit reminded her of Kerntail, who was always rushing around. And as she thought of who would be a good mentor for Silverkit, she realized that Bramblestar would be perfect. She gazed at him, and there was a look of understanding in Bramblestar's amber eyes.

"I'd like Kerntail to mentor Pepperkit, and I was wondering if you would like to mentor Silverkit," she suggested.

Bramblestar nodded, and she wondered why he looked somewhat disappointed. "Very well, then I will hold their ceremony today," he replied with a flick of his tail.

She watched as he padded away, then she immediately began to groom her kits. Hollyheart ignored Pepperkit's squeal of protest, saying that what good would a mother be if she couldn't keep her kits clean? When she was finished, she groomed Silverkit. Her other daughter was less of an annoyance. Silverkit never wriggled or tried to get away.

"Now don't go and get your pelts dirty," she called as they stared at the Highledge.

"Let all cats old enough gather around the Highledge for a Clan meeting!" Bramblestar yowled.

Hollyheart watched as the Clan gathered around her. Cloudtail was returning from a hunting patrol, followed closely by Brightheart and her apprentice Ivypaw. Spiderleg was followed by Foxwhisker and Rosefoot. The dark cream she-cat had never been the same ever since Toadfur died. Hollyheart bowed her head at the thought of the couragous black-and-white warrior. He had died protecting his Clan from a badger, but just as he was about to get rid of the badger, it slammed its mighty paw on his back, killing him in the proccess. Both Rainshower and Jayfeather emerged from the medicine cat's den and they sat at the edge of the group. Rainshower was grinning at Hollyheart, and she dipped her head. Muskedfur sat next to her, with Molepaw at his side.

"These kits are ready to become apprentices, as they have reached their sixth moon. By naming apprentices, we show that our Clan will remain strong. Kerntail, you are ready for your first apprentice. You had a fine mentor in Whitewing, and I expect you to pass this on to Pepperpaw."

The black she-cat purred as Pepperpaw touched noses with Kerntail. Kerntail was a good warrior, and never backed down from a challenge. Hollyheart knew she was perfect for an apprentice like her daughter.

"I am ready to take on an apprentice, and I will mentor Silverpaw. I will teach you everything I have learned from Firestar." Bramblestar's eyes gleamed at the mention of the great ThunderClan leader.

Hollyheart purred once again as the Clan chanted her kits' names. They were now apprentices, and that meant she could go back to her warrior duties. But somehow, she wished she could stay in the nursery and help take care of kits.


	22. Chapter 20

**A/N: Okay, I forgot to mention in that short scrip that Branchpaw earned his warrior name. He is now known as Branchclaw. Please excuse me for forgetting some of the characters, the list just goes on and on! Oh, and thanks flareon200 and Butterfliee for reviewing!**

~Chapter 20~

"What's that smell?" Pepperpaw's nose wrinkled as the patrol approached ShadowClan's border. Hollyheart had chosen to join them because she wanted to stretch out her legs. But the real reason as to joining it, was because she wanted to see how her kits would act on their first time out as apprentices. Her nose wrinkled in disgust too as she looked at the ShadowClan border. It was a reek that she had grown used to since she became a warrior.

"That's ShadowClan's border. You don't want to mess with them, they're nothing but trouble," Kerntail meowed as she flicked her tail over Pepperpaw's shoulder. Bramblestar nodded, but as the five cats began to pad away, Hollyheart heard a low, furious hiss.

"Try saying that to our faces you pieces of fox-dung!" Hollyheart's fur stood on end as she recognized Lichenfur's harsh yowl. She whirled around and saw six warriors surrounding him. Snakeclaw was not with him, which made her sigh with relief. But her fur stood on end once more as she saw Russetstar leading the group. Beside the dark ginger she-cat was Tigerheart, Dawnfrost, Crowfrost and Whitewater.

Bramblestar stepped in front of Hollyheart and dipped his head to Russetstar. "And what brings you here to our border?" He asked cooly.

"I am only leading a patrol," Russetstar replied in a just as cool voice. "And have come to warn you. There was a fox scented near the border, and we think it might have crossed onto your territory."

Hollyheart stared at her in shock. Was Russetstar actually being helpful? She glanced at her Clanmates and saw that they were just as shocked as she was. Normally Russetstar only wanted to bring trouble to the Clan. But now it seemed like the dark ginger she-cat wanted to make sure that ThunderClan was alright.

Bramblestar dipped his head once more and meowed, "we will keep an eye out. Thank you." He looked at both Kerntail and Hollyheart, and led the way away from the border. But as they left, Hollyheart could feel Lichenfur glaring at her with cold yellow eyes.

They continued trekking until they reached the border of WindClan. Hollyheart was the first to hear the stream, and her fur prickled as the barking of dogs sounded in the distance. She exchanged a wary glance with Kerntail. The pale brown she-cat was the only other one besides Leafspots who knew what Hollyheart was doing. Every night she would catch some prey and wait at the border. Whitetail would return and pick it up, casting a grateful glance at Hollyheart every time. She had even once meowed, "the thanks of WindClan goes with you."

Hollyheart knew that Whitetail was much more calm about the situation then Ashstar. Whitetail would make a good leader some day - if she got the chance - it seemed as though the Twolegs were moving faster and faster towards the barn.

"I hope WindClan are okay," Silverpaw mewed. She was staring at the border, looking thoughtful as always. She had obviously also heard the dogs barking. Silverpaw also had Hollyheart's keen hearing, and the black she-cat was proud of her daughter for sharing her concern.

"Those cats are probably not coming back," a voice whispered amongst the leaves. "Did you see how skinny they were? Those stupid humans don't realize what they're doing," it added.

The black she-cat stared at it in shock. She was looking at a mouse, and to her surprise, it was speaking to a rabbit. "Have you been to the moors Totto?" The rabbit asked.

With a twitch of her whiskers, Hollyheart realized that this was the same mouse she had heard before. She noticed that there was a scar on his back, and his whiskers were twitching every now and then. She knew that he was one of the few mice that actually knew how to survive in the forest. Most of the mice she caught were either too dumb to speak or never had a chance because they were too busy collecting seeds. But this one was an elder, and he seemed to have experience.

"No, why?" Totto muttered.

"I've seen what they're doing. They're herding their sheep for no reason, just for fun. To me it's foolish. Humans spend too much time having fun rather then actually figuring out how to survive," the rabbit replied. Before Hollyheart could listen for more information, she heard Bramblestar yowl her name. She turned, and when she looked back, the rabbit and mouse were gone. _StarClan what are you trying to tell me? _She thought inwardly.

-----------------

Rain was falling the next morning. Hollyheart's fur was soaked through as she padded through the forest. She was leading the sunhigh patrol, and Muskedfur, Molepaw and Hazeltail were with her. It had started raining last night as Hollyheart returned back to camp after her nightly exertion to WindClan. But while she was out, she thought she detected the familiar smell of ThunderClan near the ShadowClan border. Hollyheart had tried to follow the scent, but after a while the rain washed away.

She led the way towards the ShadowClan border, and stopped dead in her tracks. Now there was a new stench in the air, and it wasn't ShadowClan. Muskedfur must have smelled it too, because he moved closer to her. Molepaw and Hazeltail's ears were flattened as they glared into the darkness. "Fox!" Hazeltail almost screeched. The small gray-and-white she-cat was right.

A large russet-colored creature bounded towards them, snarling ferociously. Hollyheart crouched low to the ground, and jumped in the air. She quickly landed on the foxes back, but it threw her off. She hit the ground with a thud, and the sounds of yowling echoed around her. Almost as soon as she regained consciousness, she leaped to her paws and lashed her claws out at the foxes' legs. It growled in pain as scarlet red droplets of blood splattered on the ground. The fox barely had time to react as Muskedfur lunged at it with his teeth bared. The dark brown tabby bit down hard, and with a howl of pain, it limped as fast as it could away from the cats.

"And stay out of our territory!" Molepaw spat as he quickly joined them.

As Hollyheart tried to catch her breath, she realized that Hazeltail was no where to be seen. "Muskedfur, have you seen - " Her question was cut off as she saw a small gray-and-white clump of fur sprawled out on the ground. She gasped in shock when she realized that the warrior was dead. "No, Hazeltail!" She yowled as she ran towards her.

Muskedfur was slowly rising to his paws, and his yellow eyes gleamed with grief for their lost friend. Molepaw remained quiet as he approached. "She died as she lived," Muskedfur whispered. "She died a warriors' fight."

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**A/N: Please don't kill me! I had to kill off Hazeltail for future reasons. If you want to kill someone, kill Russetstar for being a mouse-brain!**


	23. Chapter 21

**A/N: So here's chapter 21! Oh, and I'm sorry for the late update, I pulled a muscle in my leg and yeah...So anyways, thanks CRAZYREADER96, flareon200, Hollyleaf_supporter_985, and allygirl56 for reviewing!**

~Chapter 21~

"Bramblestar, can we please tell Smoky and Floss what happened?" Berrynose's mew sounded as Hollyheart padded out of the warriors' den. It was the sun after they held vigil for Hazeltail, and camp was slowly turning back to normal. Both Berrynose and Mousewhisker were sitting in front of the dark brown tabby leader, looking at him with pleading eyes. Smoky and Floss had been their denmates when they were kits. And Daisy moved back to the barn not too long after Spiderleg found another mate. Since she was the mother of Hazeltail, Hollyheart knew that she would want to know about what happened.

Bramblestar dipped his head; their was a look of respect in his amber eyes. "But only one of you may go," he meowed. "And I want you to take a couple of warriors with you, in case WindClan are still hostile."

The two toms exchanged glances, and Mousewhisker nodded. "I will go." Before Berrynose could protest he added, "the Clan needs you more then I do. I'll take Hollyheart and Lionblaze with me."

Hollyheart blinked in surprise. She had never been close to the gray-and-white warrior, but it seemed as though he wanted to become friends with her now. She watched as Briarleaf and her three remaining kits emerged from the warriors' den. "You'll be careful won't you?" She asked as she pressed her muzzle into his fur. Mousewhisker purred as Hazepelt, Sunstream and Mudtalon toppled him over. She watched as the family gathered into a small group, and almost wished that she could do the same with Silverpaw, Pepperpaw and Muskedfur. He had gone out with the dawn patrol so it was unlikely he would be allowed to go on this patrol. Suddenly she felt a shadow loom over her, and Hollyheart turned to see her father, Lionblaze watching her carefully.

"This should be interesting," he mumbled as he watched the group of cats.

The black she-cat stared at him for a moment, then looked at her paws. She sometimes felt uncomfortable by the way he looked at her with his bright amber eyes. He acted just like Jayfeather, who would always ask questions that she didn't know the answer to.

"Okay, lets go," Mousewhisker meowed as he finished talking with his family. Hollyheart rose to her paws, with Lionblaze close behind. The three cats trekked out of camp and into the forest.

The ground beneath them was littered with leaves. Hollyheart realized that leaf-fall was coming fast, and soon it would be leaf-bare. She just hoped that it wouldn't be as bad as the one in Cinderheart's story. She remembered that many cats suffered through the greencough epidemic, and Firestar even lost a life. Hollyheart sent a silent prayer to StarClan, hoping they would listen to her words.

Soon they reached the border. WindClan's scent was faded by now, since they were temporarily living at the barn. Hollyheart had noticed how much less hungrier they looked after she started feeding them. She was glad to hear that no one else died. Ever since Breezepelt's kit died, she'd been desperate to help. _No one deserves to die a slow and painful death, _she thought as she followed Lionblaze onto WindClan's territory. They were careful not to go anywhere near the barn where Ashstar was keeping her Clan. It would be mouse-brained to fight an entire Clan, and Bramblestar would never forgive them for it either.

Suddenly Hollyheart stopped for a moment. The sound of rustling came from behind, and the rest of her patrol had not heard it. She turned and saw that yellow eyes were glinting at her. With a sigh, Hollyheart muttered, "come out Pepperpaw."

The brown-and-black apprentice slowly stepped out of the holly bush, looking slightly embarrassed to have been caught by her mother. Hollyheart glared at her with a stern look that made Pepperpaw stop in her tracks.

"Don't you have training to do?" She hissed.

Pepperpaw's paws kneaded the ground, and she had a guilty look on her face. "I thought it would be cool to just go with you," she mewed.

Lionblaze and Mousewhisker had come forward, and their eyes were blazing. "That doesn't mean you should go sneaking out like this," Hollyheart retorted. "What would have happened if a fox or a WindClan patrol caught you?"

Hollyheart felt Mousewhisker's tail gently flick her shoulder. "Don't be too hard on her," he murmured. "This might be a good experience for her actually," he added.

With another agitated sigh, Hollyheart muttered, "very well."

Pepperpaw's eyes gleamed with excitement as the four cats trekked on. Hollyheart knew that Kerntail would be worried sick about her apprentice, but at least she was safe. She didn't know what she'd do if anything happened to either Pepperpaw or Silverpaw. At least Silverpaw had more sense then a mouse though. Pepperpaw was so mischievous; constantly getting into trouble with Kerntail and never stopping to think. But then, Pepperpaw got that from Cinderheart. Back when she was an apprentice, her mother always acted before she thought. Hollyheart was actually glad that her kits held a trace of their parents. It meant that Firestar's spirit still lived on in them.

Eventually the patrol reached the horseplace barn. Hollyheart was amazed at the sight of the horses. They galloped and snorted, making the ground tremble as they did so. They were unpredictable creatures, and to her, they were a thing of power. _How could they possibly allow Twolegs to ride them? _She wondered as they slipped past them. Pepperpaw's eyes were round with wonder, and Hollyheart realized that this was her daughter's first time ever even hearing about them.

As they reached the barn, Hollyheart saw a dark gray-and-white cat emerge from a small space between the wooden structure. His yellow eyes were wide as he watched the group of cats that were coming towards him. Then Hollyheart heard him sigh in relief, and she guessed he must have recognized Mousewhisker.

"Greetings everyone, it is good to see the Clan cats again," he meowed as he gazed at his son. Was that a look of admiration? Hollyheart could only guess by the way this cat looked that they were dangerous looking. Mousewhisker had more scars then she did, and he fought in more battles as well.

"Smoky," Mousewhisker dipped his head to his father, and suddenly looked very sad. "I have the worst news to bring, for both you and Daisy."

The barn cat suddenly looked worried, and looked around. Then with a nod of his head, he led the four cats into the barn. Hollyheart squeezed in last, and found that the barn was well sheltered, despite all of the holes that she had seen in it. The sound of mewling nearly made her jump, and Hollyheart exchanged a surprised glance with Lionblaze. Two kits bounded out of the bales of hay, their little tails sticking out in the air. One was a brown-and-white kit, while the other was black.

"You've had kits!" Mousewhisker exclaimed as he watched them.

Smoky blinked warmly and mewed, "the Twolegs don't take them anymore, and Daisy has taught them how to hunt."

Hollyheart blinked in surprise. She remembered hearing from Dustpelt that Daisy had been lazy and never fended for herself. Why would the kittypet change now? She pricked her ears as she watched Pepperpaw bounce around the two kits.

"Kits come back!" A she-cat cried. Her cream-colored fur was ruffled in surprise and fear. Hollyheart stared at her, and was shocked to see how strong she was. Daisy's eyes widened when she spotted Mousewhisker, her first son. "Mousewhisker, what are you doing here?" She asked.

"Daisy, I'm afraid I have the worst of news," Mousewhisker bowed his head, and Hollyheart knew what was coming. She couldn't imagine how much pain the gray-and-white tom must be suffering right now. "Hazeltail is dead."

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**A/N: Ooh cliffie. Anyways, please review, after all I'm still working hard on this story.**


	24. Chapter 22

~Chapter 22~

Daisy was silent for a few heartbeats. Then she began to wail, and her kits seemed to notice their mothers' distress. Smoky touched his tail on her shoulder, but it didn't look like Daisy was responding. Hollyheart watched, her heart pounding as she wondered what would happen if Daisy could not produce milk for her kits. She knew that the cream-colored she-cat would be stressed; were they right to tell her the horrible news? She exchanged a worried glance with Lionblaze, who looked just as concerned as she felt. Pepperpaw had scuttled over, her eyes wide and filled with a nervous look.

"She died a warriors' death, by protecting Molepaw, an apprentice," Mousewhisker meowed. "She helped defend him against a fox, and then..." He stayed silent, not wanting to finish what he was about to say.

Hollyheart sighed as Daisy wailed even more. It looked like they were going to spend the night here. She decided to start hunting; at least it meant that they would be fed. She quickly spotted a mouse that was scuffling amongst the hay, and soon dropped to a hunters' crouch. She took one pawstep, then pounced. The mouse dangled from her jaws, and she dropped it in front of Lionblaze. He looked at her with proud amber eyes and murmured, "you are a great hunter." His eyes suddenly turned to sadness, and Hollyheart began to wonder why. "Just like Hollyleaf," he added as he sat down to begin eating.

"Can you tell me more about her?" Hollyheart asked after she caught another mouse. She wanted to know everything about Lionblaze's sister. Ever since Cinderheart told her of what Hollyleaf had done to ThunderClan, she always thought of Hollyleaf as someone who couldn't be trusted. But that wasn't enough for Hollyheart. She wanted to know the truth.

Lionblaze looked at her for a moment, then sighed. "My sister was a great cat. She was one of the best fighters, and the best hunter. But...something happened that made her change." The golden tabby suddenly looked as though he didn't want to go on, but instead, he added in a low whisper, "she killed Ashfur."

She gasped as his words echoed in her ears. _Hollyleaf _killed _Ashfur? _She thought. Hollyheart shuddered as she wondered why Hollyleaf of all cats would have turned against her own Clanmate. Was it because he had done something to her? Or was she really just as twisted as Tigerstar?

"She was trying to protect us!" Lionblaze hissed as though he had heard Hollyheart's thoughts. The black she-cat jumped and stared at her father with wide green eyes. "Ashfur learned a terrible secret that could not be revealed to the Clans," he added in a hushed voice. "Our mother was...Leafpool. And our father," Hollyheart could tell that it was causing him an effort to spill out their father's name. She didn't want to make him more hurt, but something told her that this would help him more then anything. "Our father was Crowfeather," the golden tabby finally croaked out.

The black she-cat was almost speechless. _Leafpool was ThunderClan's former medicine cat! _She realized as she shook her head. That meant that the former medicine cat had already broken the warrior code by just having kits. But Leafpool had done so much more damage by taking a cat from another Clan as a mate. Hollyheart almost felt sick after listening to Lionblaze's story, and as Pepperpaw approached them, she began to groom her daughter as though she were a kit again. Despite Pepperpaw's squeals, Hollyheart couldn't stop.

"Promise me you won't tell anyone," Lionblaze whispered as the brown-and-black apprentice fell asleep. Mousewhisker was sleeping next to Daisy and Smoky, looking as content as ever. Hollyheart almost believed that he fit in with them, but she knew he would never enjoy the enclosed walls of the barn, or not being able to hunt or patrol with his Clanmates.

With a glance at Lionblaze, Hollyheart murmured back, "I promise."

She watched as her father soon fell asleep too. Hollyheart wondered how he could live with himself, knowing that his own mother was a traitor to the Clans. But then another thought filled her mind. _Am I like Hollyleaf? Would I be willing to stoop so low as to killing another warrior?_ With a sigh, she curled up in her nest of uncomfortable straw and soon fell asleep, only to have nightmares of herself hunting and stalking other warriors.

--------------

"Are you sure you can't stay longer?" Smoky asked as the four cats squeezed out of the barn's entrance. It was the day after they had arrived, and a cold rain was pouring down onto the ground, soaking Hollyheart's fur. She noticed that Mousewhisker almost looked reluctant to leave his family, but the gray-and-white tom lifted his head and looked at his father with proud yellow eyes.

"I'm sorry father, but I have a mate and a Clan to take care of. I would never like staying in the barn for too long," he meowed.

Smoky blinked at his son sadly, and licked his ear. "Good luck then, and watch out for those Nofurs!" He called after them as the patrol began to race back towards the forest. Hollyheart could already smell WindClan nearby. It was likely that they were staring up their regular patrols now.

Suddenly Pepperpaw skidded to a halt, and the rest of the patrol followed her lead. "I smell WindClan," she mewed, "and their fresh!"

Sure enough, four WindClan cats prowled towards them. Hollyheart recognized Crowfeather, and looked at him awkwardly. Breezepelt and Whitetail were the only cats who knew about her secret exertions towards WindClan to help feed them. She was pleased to see that they were finally looking less thin. In fact, they looked lean now and muscular rather then hungry. Their pelts no longer looked ragged and useless, and their eyes were bright and alert. A brown-and-white tom who looked to be the age of an apprentice almost toppled Pepperpaw over, and the two young cats began to growl at each other. But Hollyheart immediately took over and snapped at her daughter. Pepperpaw shot one last glare at the brown-and-white apprentice before returning to her patrol.

"So what are ThunderClan cats doing out here?" Antpelt, a brown-and-black tom hissed.

Lionblaze stepped forward and dipped his head in front of the older warrior. "We were only passing through. We needed to share a word with the barn cats," he explained. "I promise we will not hunt or steal any prey," he added.

Antpelt exchanged a glance with Crowfeather, and nodded. "Very well, but you be sure to tell your other ThunderClan friends to stay well off of our territory, we caught one sniffling around the other day and we chased her off."

Before Hollyheart could say anything, three of the WindClan cats padded away. But the brown-and-white apprentice remained, and Hollyheart saw that her own patrol was leaving. She wanted to join them, but it looked as though this apprentice wanted to tell her something. "Don't you remember me?" He asked. "My sister, Brownkit died from starvation," he added in a low, sorrow-filled voice.

"Eaglekit?" Hollyheart whispered. She had only seen the kit once, when Heathertail had come to mourn over the death of his sister. Hollyheart was surprised to see him now. How different he looked now compared to when she first saw him!

"Eagle_paw _actually," the brown-and-white tom corrected her. "And if you're wondering who the cat Antpelt was talking about was, it was a dark brown she-cat. Her belly was rather large, and I think she might have been expecting kits." With that, he began to race back towards his patrol.

Hollyheart just stood there, looking as though she had just seen a hoard of badgers plunge through the moors. The cat Eaglepaw had described sounded exactly like Leafspots. What was she doing out in WindClan? And why in the name of StarClan would she go out when she was expecting kits? As Hollyheart followed her patrol back to camp, she suddenly realized that she would have to talk to her friend once she reached the nursery, and it wasn't going to be a good talk.


	25. Chapter 23

**A/N: Here's chapter 23! Anyways, thanks Emberheart0 for reviewing, you rock!**

~Chapter 23~

Camp was busy as Hollyheart and the rest of the patrol returned. She saw that Kerntail was bounding towards them, looking furious. But before Pepperpaw could shrink back behind her mother, Kerntail reached her. Brackenfur and Bramblestar were cose behind, and both toms also looked furious.

"Pepperpaw! Where were you?" Kerntail hissed. "You do realize that there are patrols searching for you?" Her tail lashed as she spoke, and Hollyheart noticed that her fur was tanding on end.

The brown-and-black apprentice shifted her paws uncomfortably and she didn't look at her mentor. "I wanted to go with them," she mewed.

"Come on Kerntail, don't be too hard on her," Mousewhisker meowed. "She did a great job in warning us about WindClan," he added. His yellow eyes gleamed at the memory of the patrol, and his words reminded Hollyheart that she needed to speak with Leafspots, and soon. Lionblaze nodded, and there was pride in his golden eyes. Hollyheart purred; she was pleased that her father was so fond of Pepperpaw.

"Even so, she cannot come back home and expect not to be punished," Bramblestar muttered as he stepped forward. "Pepperpaw, for one moon you are to clean out the elders' den, and you will not be allowed to attend the Gathering." Though his words were harsh, he sounded fair. Hollyheart knew her daughter's punishment could have been far more severe.

Pepperpaw stared at the dark brown tabby with wide eyes. Then, as if thinking better of it, she dashed off towards the elders' den. Hollyheart watched her, suddenly wishing she could help her. It would be nice to go back to the old apprentice duties that she had attended to once. The black she-cat dipped her head to Bramblestar and Brackenfur, then padded into the nursery.

Leafspots was the only cat there, and it was still warm and full of milk-scent. Hollyheart saw her friend lying in the far corner of the nursery. The dark brown she-cat's belly was bulging, and it was suspected that she was going to have a large litter of kits. Leafspots looked at her, and purred, not even realizing what Hollyheart had come there for. "Hi, can you believe that it will soon be time?" She asked.

Hollyheart sat next to the queen, feeling a bit uncomfortable about what she was about to say. "Whose kits are these Leafspots?" She asked quietly. She felt Leafspots flinch beside her, and almost wished she could take the words back. But she had to know. Hollyheart wanted to make sure that Leafspots was safe, and wouldn't do what she was doing again.

"They are...Emberfoot's kits," she whispered.

Before Hollyheart could react, Leafspots suddenly let out a yowl of pain. Hollyheart jumped to her paws, realizing what was happening. "Jayfeather! Rainshower, Leafspots' kits are coming!" She cried at once.

Almost at once the two medicine cats' bounded in. Rainshower was holding a bundle of herbs as Jayfeather sniffed Leafspots' flank carefully. Hollyheart stared at him with a worried look on her face, and suddenly wondered whether or not she should get help. There was an awful amount of blood coming out. Suddenly a dark shape slipped onto the ground, and Jayfeather prodded it with his paws. He shook his head, and Hollyheart guessed what he knew, the kit was stillborn. Another dark shape slipped out as well, and this time it was mewling. Jayfeather handed it quickly to Rainshower, and the blue-gray tom began to lick its' fur the other way to dry it. Soon after, another kit came out. Jayfeather gave the kit to Hollyheart, and she licked that kit.

By now, Leafspots looked exhausted. And in pain. There was so much blood, it almost terrified Hollyheart. She had never witnessed anything like this, and suddenly wondered if StarClan were punishing her friend for taking a mate from outside the Clan. Suddenly another dark shape slipped onto the ground, and Jayfeather began to lick it.

"Aren't you going to help her?" Hollyheart asked in a shrill voice.

The last thing she wanted to do was witness the death of her best friend; Leafspots had been her friend since they were apprentices. She couldn't imagine what the Clan would be like without her. But as she watched, Hollyheart knew that Leafspots was on the verge of hunting with StarClan. "Please, take care of my kits..." she whispered. Then, as if the effort had been too much, Leafspots' breathing stopped.

All Hollyheart could do was just sit there, staring at her friend. The last thing she had done for her was talk to her about forbidden love. Was it really forbidden if it meant they were going to die? She bowed her head, wishing for once that it had been her who died in Leafspots' place.

"I will help take care of the kits," Icestorm's mew almost made her jump out of her fur. For a moment, Hollyheart wondered why the white she-cat would be taking such a responsible duty. But when she saw that Icestorm's belly was larger then usual, she guessed that the warrior was expecting kits. As she tried to think of who their father was, she saw Lynxclaw's eyes gleaming with pride as he watched them.

Despite the bad news of Leafspots, Hollyheart couldn't help but be proud for her brother. She had noticed he was unusually close to her, and she knew that he would make a good father to Icestorm's kits. She glanced back at Jayfeather, and saw that he was staring at the kits with a strange look. One was a tabby-and-white kit with two dark paws, while the other two looked alike. They were golden tabbys, with darker ginger stripes and white ears. They looked almost like Brackenfur, who was Leafspots' father. Hollyheart realized that Jayfeather was guessing what she already knew; that these kits were Emberfoots'. _Please don't tell the Clan, _she begged him silently.

"They'll need names," Rainshower murmured as he prodded the kit he had towards Icestorm.

"Why don't we name this one, Lilackit," Hollyheart's tail pointed towards the tabby-and-white kit with the two darker paws. She thought it suited the young kit, since it was a she-cat and it reminded her of a lilac.

Rainshower nodded, and his blue eyes gleamed. "Then why don't we name this one Tanglekit," his paw pointed towards one of the golden tabby kits. Hollyheart nodded as well,a dnshe waited for Icestorm to name the last kit. "I'll name this one, Firekit," she murmured.

Firekit, Lilackit and Tanglekit. They were good names, and Hollyheart thought they suited each kit. She knew that Leafspots would be proud of them. She glanced at the lifeless body of her friend, and with the help of Rainshower, the two of them dragged the body out into the center.

A wail sounded almost as soon as they stopped, and Hollyheart turned just in time to see Sorreltail bounding towards them. Her grandmother had been the mother of Leafspots, and Hollyheart felt as much pain as she did. Soon, Cinderheart, Poppyfrost, Kerntail and Muskedfur joined. Her mate pressed his body close to her, and Hollyheart knew exactly what he was thinking. The same thing could have happened to her.

The whole Clan sat vigil that night. Hollyheart yawned as the moon began to rise. She felt as though her feet might fall off, but she tried her best to stay awake. As her eyes began to droop, she suddenly found herself in the forest. But it wasn't leaf-fall here, and the air was warm and filled with the scent of prey. Hollyheart realized that she was back in StarClan, and she knew that she was dreaming.

She glanced around, and saw a hauntingly familiar figure padding towards her. The dark brown she-cat gazed at her with warm, kind eyes and purred. "So what they say is true then," she whispered. "Hollyheart, thank you for saving my kits," she added with a gentle lick behind her ear. Hollyheart shivered as she watched her friend's image disappear. What did Leafspots mean by, 'so what they say is true?'. Before she could ask, she found herself in the warriors' den, sleeping next to Muskedfur, like she always did.

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**A/N: I'm so sorry that I killed Leafspots, but it was for future references. Please review!**


	26. Chapter 24

**A/N: Thanks again Emberheart0 for reviewing, I appreciate it! And for those who have made this their favorite story, you'd better start leaving reviews! Oh, and thanks flareon200 for reviewing!**

~Chapter 24~

Hollyheart jumped at the sound of thunder. Lightning streaked across the sky, shedding a terrible light over the forest that flashed before her green eyes. Rain was falling, and the wind gusted stronger then it usually did. It had been like this for two days now, and all of the prey was hidden in their burrows, trying to stay dry. Even Hollyheart was having a hard time trying to go out on patrols. Ever since the death of Leafspots, she had not wanted to go out. Muskedfur sat close to her, looking very worried. But she didn't even notice him. All Hollyheart could think about were her last moments that she speant with the dark brown queen.

She stared at the clearing, and saw that Mousewhisker, Hazepelt and Leapordpaw were forming a hunting patrol. Sandstorm was sharing tongues with Dustpelt, and Icestorm was laying down in the nursery. Bumblestripe began to pad past Hollyheart, but when he looked at the rain, he seemed to think better of it and stalked back inside the warriors' den. On a day like this, all Hollyheart wanted to do was just sleep.

"Hollyheart!" Brackenfur's meow made her blink drowsily. The golden brown tabby bounded towards them and looked at her warily. "I want you to take Berrynose, Sunstream, and Thornclaw with you on a patrol towards the WindClan border," he ordered.

_What an honor! _Hollyheart thought as he padded away. Hollyheart knew that only older warriors usually led patrols, so Brackenfur must have trusted her quite a lot. She purred, for once feeling happy, and padded back into the warriors' den. Berrynose was curled up next to Blossomleaf, his fur rose and fell as the cream-colored warrior slept. Hollyheart crept around the nests, careful not to wake any of the other warriors. She prodded his side, and the older cat groaned and looked up at her. "Border patrol," she whispered.

Berrynose flicked his ear to show he understood, and so she looked for both Sunstream and Thornclaw. When they were found, she padded back out and waited for the three cats. The rain didn't slacken, and it only made her feel worse. _How long will this rain last? _She wondered as she glanced at the sky. It was as if StarClan were angry with the forest, but for what, she didn't know, or understand for that matter.

As her patrol gathered, Hollyheart led the way out of camp. The forest itself was dark and green, despite all of the rain that had fallen. Hollyheart could hardly smell anything because the rain washed the scents away. She was well aware of the birds the sang overhead, but that was about it. No one wanted to be out in this rain, including her. But she continued to lead the patrol, hoping to please Brackenfur and Bramblestar.

"This rain is so annoying," Sunstream was whining. The tortoiseshell she-cat's fur was dark and plastered to her bones. Hollyheart knew that she wasn't used to the weather of leaf-fall. It was cold, but not cold enough for it to snow. "It hasn't stopped for two days now," she added with a flick of her tail.

"If it doesn't stop soon we'll all grow webbed feet!" Berrynose snorted. Hollyheart purred in amusement. Though it was unlikely, apprentices and warriors always seemed to say that when ever it rained like this.

"Stop acting like apprentices and get used to it," Thornclaw snapped as he stepped in front of them. "If we're lucky we'll also catch some prey too. But that's not going to happen if you keep complaining." His ears angled towards an uprooted tree, and sure enough, Hollyheart could hear the sounds of a mouse scuffling in it. She could also hear it speaking, but its voice was very faint. The golden brown tabby dropped to a hunters crouch, and soon began to stalk towards the log. For once Hollyheart was glad there was rain - it would dampen the sound of his pawsteps. Almost within a heartbeart, Thornclaw leaped into the trunk, and Hollyheart heard a muffled squeak. Thornclaw emerged a second later with the mouse dangling from his jaws.

"Great catch Thornclaw!" Hollyheart purred. It meant the Clan would have one more mouse to feed it. At least it wouldn't be soggy like the fresh-kill pile had looked.

She continued to lead the patrol towards the WindClan's border, and soon saw the stream that marked the beginnings of it. Now the stream looked more like a river, and the water surged on and on. Hollyheart knew that WindClan would not be able to cross it, so there really wasn't much of a threat.

"I can't believe how big the stream is!" Sunstrea mewed. Her amber eyes were wide with shock as she gazed at it.

Hollyheart couldn't help but nod in agreemant. The last time she had seen the stream was when she had been on the patrol with Mousewhisker, Pepperpaw and Lionblaze. Now it looked dangerous, a cat could be swept away by the surging water.

"Come on, lets report this to Bramblestar," Hollyheart meowed.

As she led the way back to camp, the rain finally began to ease off. She spotted Pepperpaw padding away from this with a wad of moss in her jaws, and she guessed that the brown-and-black apprentice was cleaning out the elders' den. Hollyheart also saw Mousewhisker and his patrol return, with a load of fresh-kill in their jaws. She was pleased to know that the Clan would be fed well today.

The four cats emerged from the thorn tunnel, only to find Bramblestar crouching over something. Hollyheart gasped as she recognized who it was; it was Silverpaw. She surged forward, and began to lick her daughter furiously. "What happened?" She demanded.

Foxwhisker, Rosefoot and Spiderleg were all crouched on the other side, whispering to each other in urgent voices. Sandstorm and Millie had emerged from the elders' den to see what the commotion was about. Hollyheart saw that Jayfeather and Rainshower were bounding forward, with herbs in their jaws.

"She was chasing a squirrel when it leaped across the edge," Bramblestar explained in a shaky voice. "But she ended up falling on the far side of the hollow." His whiskers trembled a little as he spoke, and his eyes were full of distress.

Muskedfur bounded towards them, with eyes that were just as wide and anxious. "Is she alive?" He breathed as he pressed his nose into the pale gray she-cat's fur.

Jayfeather sniffed her, then nodded. "She's alive, but barely," he replied. "Rainshower, help me move her to the den," he added to the blue-gray tom. Rainshower nodded, and tried to wriggle under Silverpaw without hurting her further.

Hollyheart helped, knowing that her daughter would only feel more pain if she didn't. The two of them silently carried Silverpaw's body back into the medicine cats' den, and then layed her gently on a soft nest of moss.

The black she-cat could have stayed there all night, if she hadn't known that she had to report what she had seen on the patrol. Hollyheart licked Silverpaw gently, and padded out of the den, with Rainshower close behind.

"Please watch over her," she whispered.

"I will," Rainshower promised. His blue eyes were filled with determination, and for once, Hollyheart was grateful for his support.

She knew he would do what ever it took to save Silverpaw, and that was all that mattered to Hollyheart. Suddenly a wail sounded from outside of camp, and Hollyheart looked up just in time to see Pepperpaw dashing through the thorn tunnel.

Pepperpaw didn't even seem to notice Hollyheart as she nearly slipped into the medicine cat's den. Pepperpaw and Silverpaw were close, and Hollyheart suddenly realized that both of them would be devastated if Silverpaw died.

"I heard about the stream at the border," Bramblestar's words made her jump. Hollyheart turned to see him standing in front of her, his eyes filled with sorrow. Silverpaw had been his apprentice, and Hollyheart knew it was hard for him too.

"Sunstream and Thornclaw checked to see how far it went," Hollyheart explained. It was hard to control her voice under the emotion she was feeling right now. "They returned and said it goes as far as the lake, which is also bigger now."

Bramblestar nodded, and suddenly looked worried. "Then WindClan will not be a threat, for now," he murmured softly.

Before Hollyheart could ask him what he meant, he padded away. Muskedfur quickly took his place, and began to groom her gently like a kit again. But comfort wasn't what Hollyheart wanted. All she wanted was to sleep and find out if Silverpaw would be safe again.

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**A/N: Okay, so I have yet another tragedy. But this time, she is not going to disappear so suddenly! Anyways, please review!**


	27. Chapter 25

**A/N: Sorry I couldn't resist updating fast! I also can't believe I got over 70 reviews! By the way, anyone who sends me a flame, will be ignored because you are just helping me earn more reviews ;)**

~Chapter 25~

"Are you going to tell the Clans about Silverpaw?" Hollyheart asked as Bramblestar asked her to join him. It was the night of the Gathering, and Silverpaw was still in the medicine cat's den.

Hollyheart's worry about her daughter had increased, but since Rainshower told her that the pale gray she-cat's fever went down, she let herself relax a little. Bramblestar sat in front of her. His tail tip flicked every now and then, and his eyes flashed at the mention of Silverpaw's name.

"I will only tell the Clans that Silverpaw and Pepperpaw could not make it," he replied in a brisk tone.

Despite his harsh words, Hollyheart knew he was only being sensible. But she wished they could have gone, it would have been their first Gathering. "Who is coming to the Gathering?" She asked.

"I will announce that right now," he meowed.

The dark brown tabby tom leaped onto the Highledge and yowled, "let all cats old enough gather beneath the Highledge for a Clan meeting!"

Hollyheart watched as the Clan began to emerge from their dens. Squirrelflight and Cloudtail came from the medicine cat's den - Hollyheart had heard that Cloudtail stepped on a thorn, and while Squirrelflight tried to pull it out, she hurt herself as well. Poppyfrost, Kerntail and Mudtalon emerged from the warriors' den, while Mossfoot and Cragfur padded over to join them. Soon, the whole Clan had gathered.

"For tonight's Gathering, I will be taking these cats: Bumblestripe, Mudtalon, Sandstorm, Mossfoot, Foxwhisker, Muskedfur and Molepaw. That is all," Bramblestar meowed. He then jumped down from the Highledge and joined the rest of the Clan.

Though she had not been chosen to attend the Gathering, Hollyheart knew that it was only fair that other cats went. She sat down, wondering whether or not she should visit Silverpaw. But then she knew that Pepperpaw would be spending her time with her sister, and Hollyheart wanted to give Silverpaw as much space as possible. So she decided to into the nursery and check on Leafspots kits.

Icestorm was laying down, with the three kits suckling at her belly. Firekit looked like the strongest kit, his ginger fur reminded her of the great Firestar, the former leader of ThunderClan. Lilackit's soft tabby-and-white fur looked like it would do well in leaf-bare, which was coming fast. Tanglekit's golden brown tabby fur was almost identicle to Firekit's.

"How are they?" Hollyheart asked.

"They're doing great," Icestorm purred. "In fact Firekit has already opened his eyes," she added. Hollyheart stared at Firekit in amazement. Indeed the ginger tom had opened his eyes. They were bright green, and they looked like the color of green-leaf.


	28. Allegiances 2

**A/N: I've decided to post this in case anyone was interested.**

~New Allegiances~

THUNDERCLAN

Leader: Bramblestar - dark brown tabby tom with amber eyes  
apprentice, Silverpaw

Deputy: Brackenfur - golden brown tabby tom

Medicine Cat: Jayfeather - gray tabby tom with blue eyes  
apprentice, Rainshower

WARRIORS:

Squirrelflight - dark ginger she-cat with green eyes

Cloudtail - long-haired white tom

Sorreltail - tortoiseshell-and-white she-cat

Brightheart - white she-cat with ginger patches  
apprentice, Ivypaw

Spiderleg - long-legged black tom with a brown underbelly and amber eyes

Whitewing - white she-cat with green eyes

Birchfall - light brown tabby tom

Berrynose - cream-colored tom

Mousewhisker - gray-and-white tom  
apprentice, Leapordpaw

Poppyfrost - tortoiseshell she-cat

Lionblaze - golden tabby tom with amber eyes

Foxwhisker - reddish tabby tom

Rosefoot - dark cream she-cat

Bumblestripe - very pale gray tom with dark black stripes

Blossomflower - pale brown she-cat with a long stripe going across her spine

Briarleaf - dark brown she-cat

Mossfoot - gray tabby tom

Cragfur - pale gray tom with white paws

Kerntail - small dusky brown she-cat  
apprentice, Pepperpaw

Muskedfur - dark brown tabby tom  
apprentice, Molepaw

Hollyheart - black she-cat with green eyes

Lynxclaw - light brown tabby tom

Hazepelt - pale gray tom

Mudtalon - dark brown tom with blue eyes

Branchfoot - brown tabby tom with white paws

APPRENTICES:

Leapordpaw - spotted golden tabby tom

Ivypaw - brown-and-white she-cat

Molepaw - small black tom

Silverpaw - very pale gray, almost silver she-cat

Pepperpaw - brown-and-black she-cat

QUEENS:

Icestorm - white she-cat, nursing Leafspots' kits: Firekit(golden brown tabby tom), Tanglekit(golden brown tabby she-cat), and Lilackit(tabby-and-white she-cat with two dark paws)

ELDERS:

Sandstorm - pale ginger she-cat with green eyes

Dustpelt - dark brown tabby tom

Longtail - pale tabby tom with dark black stripes

SHADOWCLAN

Leader: Russetstar - dark ginger she-cat

Deputy: Dawnfrost - cream-furred she-cat

Medicine Cat: Flamecloud - ginger tom

WARRIORS:

Rowanclaw - ginger tom  
apprentice, Cloverpaw(light brown she-cat with a white underbelly)

Smokefoot - black tom

Toadfoot - dark brown tom

Crowfrost - black-and-white tom  
apprentice, Mintpaw(gray she-cat)

Kinkfur - tabby she-cat with fur that sticks out in all angles

Whitewater - white she-cat with long fur, blind in one eye  
apprentice, Stormpaw(dark gray tom)

Tawnypelt - tortoiseshell she-cat with green eyes

Owlflight - light brown tabby tom

Shrewfoot - gray she-cat with black feet

Scorchfur - dark gray tom

Tigerheart - dark brown tabby tom

Snakeclaw - dark brown tabby tom with amber eyes

Lichenfur - mottled dark brown tom

Lizardtail - pale tabby she-cat

Pinenose - small gray-and-white tom

Flowerpetal - tortoiseshell she-cat

Brindlestep - tabby she-cat

Snowbird - pure white she-cat

Ivytail - black, white and tortoiseshell she-cat

QUEENS:

Olivebranch - tortoiseshell she-cat, mother of Weaselkit(ginger tom with darker paws) and Birdkit(tabby she-cat)

ELDERS:

Oakfur - small brown tom

WINDCLAN

Leader: Ashstar - gray she-cat

Deputy: Whitetail - small white she-cat

Medicine Cat: Kestrelwing - mottled gray tom  
apprentice, Brownpaw(brown-and-cream she-cat)

WARRIORS:

Crowfeather - dark gray tom  
apprentice, Rustpaw(ginger tom)

Owlwhisker - light brown tabby tom

Gorsetail - very pale gray, almost white she-cat with blue eyes

Weaselfur - ginger tom with white paws

Harespring - brown-and-white tom  
apprentice, Sparrowpaw(dark brown tabby she-cat)

Leaftail - dark tabby tom with amber eyes  
apprentice, Eaglepaw(brown-and-white tom)

Dewspots - spotted gray tabby she-cat

Antpelt - brown tom with one black ear  
apprentice, Specklepaw(tortoiseshell she-cat with ginger paws)

Emberfoot - gray tom with two dark paws

Breezepelt - black tom

Thistletail - long-haired white tom

Swallowflight - dark gray she-cat

Heathertail - light brown tabby she-cat with blue eyes

QUEENS:

Sedgepelt - light brown tabby, mother of Hawkkit(tawny colored she-cat) and Mousekit(small sand-colored she-cat)

Willowclaw - gray she-cat, expecting

ELDERS:

Tornear - tabby tom

RIVERCLAN

Leader: Mistystar - gray she-cat with blue eyes

Deputy: Voletooth - small brown tabby tom

Medicine Cat: Willowshine - gray she-cat

WARRIORS:

Reedwhisker - black tom

Beechfur - light brown tom  
apprentice, Brightpaw(black-and-white she-cat)

Dapplenose - mottled gray she-cat

Pouncetail - ginger-and-white tom

Mintfur - light gray tabby tom  
apprentice, Bouncekit(ginger tom)

Icewing - white she-cat with blue eyes

Pinefur - short-haired tabby she-cat

Rainstorm - mottled blue-gray tom  
apprentice, Sandpaw(light brown tabby she-cat)

Duskfur - brown tabby she-cat

Pebblenose - mottled gray tom

Mallowwhisker - light brown tabby tom

Nettleclaw - dark brown tabby tom  
apprentice, Drizzlepaw(ginger she-cat)

Sneezepelt - gray-and-white tom

Robinwing - tortoiseshell-and-white tom

Beetlefur - small white tom

Pricklenose - tortoiseshell she-cat

Petaltail - light brown tabby she-cat

Grassfang - white tom with green eyes

Copperstripe - dark ginger she-cat

Coalpelt - smoky black tom

QUEENS:

Mosspelt - tortoiseshell she-cat with blue eyes, mother of Ravenkit, Shallowkit and Daisykit

Shellspots - blue-gray she-cat with white paws and a white underbelly, expecting

Minnowtail - gray-and-white she-cat, expecting

ELDERS:

Blackclaw - smoky black tom

Swallowtail - dark tabby she-cat

**A/N: Okay, so there you go!**


	29. Chapter 26

**A/N: So here's the next chapter. Thanks allygirl28 and ashstar leader of darkclan for reviewing! Oh, and just to warn you I changed my name. This time I think I really like it, Dreamsong!**

~Chapter 26~

"How was the Gathering?" Hollyheart asked Muskedfur when the first rays of sunlight came.

The Clan had returned soon after she fell asleep, but despite their usual cheery atmosphere, tensions were high. Hollyheart wondered if it had something to do with WindClan. She also wondered whether or not Bramblestar announced the flooded stream to the other Clans. Beside her Muskedfur groaned and opened one eye. He looked as though he might fall back asleep, so Hollyheart just licked him and padded out of te den.

It was clear and sunny out for once, and sparkling drops od dew formed on the grass. Hollyheart purred as a warm breeze drifted through the hollow, ruffling her fur. It would be a perfecct day for hunting, so she decided to ask Brackenfur if she could lead a patrol.

The golden brown tabby was sharing tongues with Sorreltail, and Hollyheart noticed that she was looking rather large. _Is she expecting kits? _She wondered as she stared at the tortoiseshell-and-white she-cat. Brackenfur looked up from what he was doing and blinked. "Yes Hollyheart?" He asked lazily.

"I was wondering if I should take a hunting patrol with me," she mewed.

Brackenfur nodded and rose to his paws. "That's a good idea," Brackenfur replied. "I'd like you to take Kerntail and Pepperpaw with you, it's time the apprentices were assessed," he added with a swipe of his tongue. Hollyheart was surprised that Brackenfur wanted an assessment. Pepperpaw and Silverpaw had only been apprentices for a couple of moons, but she knew that Leapordpaw and Ivypaw might be more then ready. The Clan really needed more warriors, since ShadowClan was getting more and more agressive every day.

Hollyheart dipped her head and padded over to the warriors' den. Kerntail was sleeping next to Lynxclaw, who was snoring away. While hiding her amusement, Hollyheart prodded Kerntail's side with her paw. The small dusky brown she-cat blinked, then got up.

"Hunting patrol," Hollyheart whispered.

She stepped back outside, and saw Pepperpaw working in the elders' den once again. Her daughter's punishment was not over yet, and Hollyheart could see that Pepperpaw was having a tough time dealing with it. She sighed and rolled her eyes. If Pepperpaw ever wanted to become a warrior she would have to learn how to deal with things, especially taking care of cats who were older then her. She watched as Kerntail padded over, and saw Pepperpaw's eyes gleam as the dusky brown she-cat whispered something in her ear. Clearly Pepperpaw had wanted to go out more then anything, so Hollyheart felt as though this would be good for the brown-and-black apprentice.

The three of them bounded out into the forest, and Hollyheart was almost relieved to feel no rain on its way. "Lets hunt near the abandoned nest," she decided as they padded on.

Kerntail stared at her in surprise, but said nothing as she led the way. It was unusual for a cat to go near the nest unless you were a medicine cat. Hollyheart had heard in stories that the nest held a forboding effect on every cat. She'd never been in the nest, but she also heard from Briarleaf that the Clan once stayed there during a terrible outbreak of greencough that swept through the Clans. Briarleaf said that she even had to stay there, because her mother had greencough and soon after she caught it as well.

Hollyheart sniffed the air, and could detect a trace of vole nearby. Soon she spotted one, snuffling amongst a pine cone. She dropped into a hunters crouch, and for a heartbeart, wondered whether or not she should let Pepperpaw catch this one. But instead, Hollyheart took one small step forward, then lunged. Pain lanced through her as she bit down on the vole's neck with a killing bite. But before she could yowl in agony, the pain swept away like the wind.

She stood there for a few heartbeats, staring at the lifeless body of the vole. With one blink, Hollyheart buried the body, and quickly joined her group. Kerntail was staring at the border of ShadowClan. Hollyheart followed her stare, and froze.

Sitting in the clearing, was the dark tabby figure of Snakeclaw. His dark amber eyes turned to them, and his fur suddenly bristled. Hollyheart had never seen a cat who could look as fierce as him. Snakeclaw looked as though he would attack them then and there, but instead, he just sat there. The tip of his tabby striped tail flicked from side to side, as if he were waiting for someone. And sure enough, four more ShadowClan cat appeared from the pine trees behind him. Hollyheart recognized Dawnfrost, Lichenfur, Lizardtail and Kinkfur. All cats looked at them, and for a moment, Hollyheart was sure they would attack.

"So you want to expand our territory Dawnfrost, well here's your chance," Snakeclaw hissed. His amber eyes gleamed with a blood-thirsty look that reminded Hollyheart so much of the cat who had been spoken of only in nursery tales.

Dawnfrost's ears flattened, and the cream-colored she-cat dropped to a crouch. The rest of the cats followed her lead, and soon were stalking towards the border. Kerntail whispered to Pepperpaw, "get help." Pepperpaw, whose eyes looked as scared as a rabbits', nodded and made a run for it.

The battle erupted violently as both Kinkfur and Lizardtail leaped onto Hollyheart. The black she-cat hissed as claws raked her side, and at one point she felt someone bite into her fur. Hollyheart did her best to dodge their blows, but each time she did she felt as though her energy were fading. She lashed out one claw and it swiped over Kinkfur's nose, making the tabby she-cat yowl in rage. In response, Kinkfur aimed a blow on Hollyheart's tail, making her yowl in pain. Hollyheart was about to swipe a claw over Kinkfur's ears when she heard a defiant yowl come from ThunderClan's side of the border.

She turned to see Bramblestar charing after Dawnfrost, with Brackenfur, Poppyfrost, Bumblestripe and Spiderleg close behind. Bramblestar immediately rammed into the cream-colored deputy, knocking her off her paws. Poppyfrost swiped her claws at Lichenfur, who in response, yowle in pain and dashed away into the shadows. Hollyheart watched as the ShadowClan cats retreated. Snakeclaw, who was the last to leave, shot her a defiant stare and whispered, "I know who you are." Then he disappeared as well into the darkness.

His parting words made Hollyheart shudder, and she glanced at her Clanmates, hoping they hadn't noticed. They were too busy focusing on the borders, and she let out a sigh of relief. The battle had been won, for now. But she knew that it was far from over, and eventually, she would have to face Snakeclaw herself one day.


	30. Chapter 27

**A/N: Wow, I can't believe I have over 80 reviews! So those special reviewers are Deersprint, flareon200, allygirl56 and CRAZYREADER96 , thanks again guys for reviewing!**

~Chapter 27~

A piercing yowl split through the silenced air, making Hollyheart's ears prick. She had to crane her neck to see what was happening, most of the ThunderClan cats had huttled together into a small group near the clearing. Despite the sharp pain she felt from the wounds she recieved from Kinkfur, Hollyheart limped forward. She gasped as she saw a familiar golden brown tabby shape bunched together on the ground. The stench of blood was almost overwhelming, and Hollyheart felt her fur stand on end.

Blood oozed from a terrible scratch on Brackenfur's shoulder. It was the same scratch the Hollyheart had seen on Lightningpaw. Brackenfur had been killed by Snakeclaw. She watched helplessly as his life was sucked away from him. Brackenfur wasn't dead, be he was close to joining StarClan. Bramblestar thrust his way through the group of cats, only to stare at Brackenfur in shock.

"Brackenfur, who did this to you?" Bramblestar demanded. Even though she already knew who had killed him, Hollyheart knew that Bramblestar would not believe her. To the others, they thought that Snakeclaw was a brave and loyal warrior. They did not see the ambition in his amber eyes, and the look he gave her every time she passed by him.

The golden brown tabby couldn't even speak. His last words were gurgled, but Hollyheart could make out just a little of it. "L...ionb...laze." His eyes glazed over, and his flanks stopped moving. Hollyheart bowed her head, and she stared at the ground. Nothing in the forest would be the same now that Brackenfur was dead.

--------------------

The entire Clan gathered around Brackenfur's body that night. Hollyheart sat between Pepperpaw and Muskedfur, while Silverpaw had slowly emerged from the medicine cats' den, only to stare at Brackenfur's body with wide blue eyes. Cinderheart was close to Lionblaze, while Lynxclaw and Kerntail sat on the other side. Hollyheart had never felt so down in her life, not since Leafspots died. The Clan had just lost its deputy, how could life go on? She had grown up with the knowledge that Brackenfur would become the next leader of ThunderClan. He was a brave and loyal warrior, and he would have given his life for anyone.

She watched as Bramblestar leaped onto the Highledge. There was no need to call for a Clan meeting, everyone was already out of their dens and staring at him with expectant looks. "I am saddened to do this," he began. "Brackenfur was a brave and loyal warrior, and he should not have died so youn." Bramblestar bowed his head once more, and Hollyheart did the same. "So I say these words before the body of Brackenfur, so that he may hear and approve my choice. Lionblaze will be the new deputy of ThunderClan!"

Hollyheart was sure that her father would leap out of his fur. Lionblaze was staring at Bramblestar with wide, shocked eyes. She purred and nudged him, and so did Cinderheart and Lynxclaw. Lionblaze stood up and meowed with a dip of his head, "I know I am not as good as Brackenfur, but I promise that I will help make ThunderClan stronger." Yowls of congradulations began to spread out.

Sandstorm and Dustpelt were the first to come over to Lionblaze, and Hollyheart saw that Sandstorm's green eyes were gleaming with pride. With a jolt, Hollyheart realized that she was also kin of the pale ginger she-cat. Mousewhisker, Poppyfrost and Mossfoot soon joined in, followed quickly by Cloudtail, Hazepelt, Mudtalon and Branchfoot. The Clan was practically swarming the golden tabby now, and Hollyheart couldn't help but be proud of her father. Lionblaze was a strong and valuable warrior, and she knew that he would make ThunderClan stronger.

"Now, we will continue to sit vigil with Brackenfur, for we will share tongues with him for one last time," Bramblestar meowed as he jumped down to join them.

As the night began to pass by, Hollyheart noticed that one star in the sky was brighter then the others. Did that mean that Brackenfur approved of Bramblestar's choice? She sighed, and wished she understood more about the life in StarClan. Perhaps it could help her with her power - after all, Bluestar had come to speak with her many times. Maybe she would even talk with them tonight in her dreams. But then a voice whispered in a gentle breeze, making Hollyheart shudder. The words were the same ones she heard almost every night, only this time they were louder then before, "_only one will survive."_

Hollyheart stood rigid, as she tried to figure out what this meant. Could it possibly mean that she was to die in a battle for power? Or was there something more dangerous at work surrounding her?


	31. Chapter 28

**A/N: Thanks FallingEchos and Wolf of Silver Dawn for reviewing! Anyways, I've almost got 90 reviews, lets make that possible please!**

~Chapter 28~

"Hey Hollyheart, would you mind leading the dawn patrol?" Lionblaze asked. It was the morning after the death of Brackenfur, and Lionblaze was taking his job very seriously. The golden tabby had been pacing around camp, issueing orders and doing what ever he could to make the Clan stronger. Hollyheart had noticed that the Clan _was _stronger. Even Bramblestar seemed to lighten up after Lionblaze took over.

"Sure," Hollyheart nodded. "Who should I take?" She asked with a flick of her tail.

"Why don't you take Cragfur, Sorreltail and Squirrelflight," he suggested.

With another nod, Hollyheart padded over to the warriors' den. Cloudtail was sharing tongues with Brightheart, while Birchfall and Whitewing were headed out of camp. Hollyheart had noticed that Whitewing's belly was looking more round then usual, and she wondered if the white she-cat was expecting kits. She spotted Rainshower and waved her tail at him. He glanced up from the fresh-kill pile and padded over, his blue eyes shining with happiness. "Hi Hollyheart, Jayfeather said that Silverpaw is ready to start her training again," he meowed. His tabby striped tail flicked as he grabbed a mouse, and he looked at her eagerly.

Hollyheart purred and licked his cheek. She had hoped that her daughter would begin her training once again. Silverpaw had fallen over the edge of the hollow while chasing a squirrel, and had not been able to continue her training since then. Bramblestar would be please with this news. She watched as Rainshower padded away with the mouse in his jaws, and then she headed towards the warriors' den. Sorreltail and Cragfur were sleeping in their nests, while Squirrelflight was just getting up. The dark ginger she-cat looked up with sleepy looking green eyes and yawned.

"Dawn patrol," Hollyheart whispered.

Squirrelflight's tail tip flicked, and she nodded. She padded out of the den, followed by Cragfur and Sorreltail. Hollyheart quickly followed, and nearly had the breath taken out of her when Pepperpaw barrled into her. Hollyheart sighed and blinked at the brown-and-black apprentice. "Pepperpaw what is it?" She asked.

"Bramblestar said that my punishment is over!" Pepperpaw replied in a squeak. Her yellow eyes were round iwth excitement as she began to bounce around like an excited kit. Though Hollyheart was proud of Pepperpaw for finally getting over her punishment, she wondered whether or not her daughter understood the whole meaning of it. But she purred and licked her cheek and then joined her patrol.

They trekked through the forest, which was still wet from the rain they had recieved. A droplet of water landed on Hollyheart's nose, making her sneeze. She glanced up and saw that the sun was slowly climbing. _Maybe there won't be any trouble with ShadowClan, _she thought as she led the patrol. But her hopes quickly faded like morning dew as they approahced the border. There, sitting on the edge was Russetstar. Her green eyes glittered like fire as she slowly stalked towards them, tail lashing as she did so.

"Cross our border again and you're crow-food!" Squirrelflight spat.

The two dark ginger she-cats locked eyes, but then Russetstar glanced away. "I have come to apologize on my Clans behalf for what they have done," she meowed. "I did not know what was happening until Dawnfrost came back."

For a moment, Hollyheart was sure that Russetstar was lying. But when she looked into her eyes, she saw nothing but shame there. She suddenly felt sorry for the ShadowClan leader. Russetstar had no idea what Snakeclaw was capable of, and here he was, giving orders like he was already leader. He had already pretty much taken over Dawnfrost's job, so Hollyheart knew that his main goal was to become leader of the Clan. But how far would he go to reach that goal?

"Your apoplogy is forgiven Russetstar," Sorreltail replied with a dip of her head. There was no mallice in her tone, only concern. Of all the cats in ThunderClan, Sorreltail was the most gentle. Hollyheart purred and flicked her grandmother's flank with her tail.

"Thank you," Russetstar murmured. She dipped her head as well, and soon headed back towards what Hollyheart thought was the ShadowClan camp. As soon as she saw her tail tip disapear, she immediately led the patrol away.

As soon as they were well away from the border, Squirrelflight asked, "do you think she's telling the truth?"

"You can never tell with ShadowClan. But I think she was," Cragfur replied.

"Either way, we should warn Bramblestar," Hollyheart meowed. "I still don't trust Snakeclaw." Her green eyes narrowed as all cats stared at her. Clearly they still didn't think that he was the one who killed Brackenfur and Lightningpaw. She glanced at her paws as she led the patrol back to camp. How much longer could she live with the knowledge she had? She didn't think that she would be able to cope with it much longer.


	32. Chapter 29

~Chapter 29~

Darkness began to creep over the forest as Hollyheart padded through it. She had not been able to sleep and decided to go out for a walk. It was quiet and cold, since leaf-bare was on its way. A gentle breeze seeped through the trees, making the leaves shiver. Clouds covered the sky as she looked up. Hollyheart sighed and sat on a large boulder that was still warm from when the sun basked on it.

She knew that she would have to face Snakeclaw someday, but she wasn't sure how. It was as though all of her fears had come true, and that the dark tabby was going to ambush her at any moment. Hollyheart gazed at the moon, which was very faint right now. _Please show me what to do, _she begged StarClan silently.

As if to answer her prayer, a single star gleamed brighter then the others. Hollyheart's eyes widened when she realized that it was moving towards her. When she blinked her eyes, a sweet scent drifted through the air. Then as she opened them, a light brown tabby cat approached her, with wide amber eyes. "Hollyleaf?" The she-cat whispered.

The light brown tabby gaped at her like she had seen a ghost. Hollyheart flicked her tail and looked at her paws. She didn't like being compared to a cat who had murdered another in cold blood. When she glanced back up, the tabby was closer, and she shook her head. Her fur was matted, and Hollyheart could see signs of hunger coming off of this tabby in waves. She could also see that this cat was about the same age as Squirrelflight, though her muzzle was gray.

"Who are you?" Hollyheart asked.

The tabby whimpered and hardly looked like she could defend herself in a fight. "Don't you remember? You thought I should die because I was a medicine cat and I gave birth," she murmured softly.

Before Hollyheart could reply, she heard two hisses come from behind her. "Leafpool!" Lionblaze growled. She whirled around to see Lionblaze and Jayfeather glaring at the light brown tabby. She had never seen her father look so furious, nor had she ever seen Jayfeather. Both cats looked as though they might claw out Leafpool's fur and use it for bedding.

"I came only because I am on the verge of death," Leafpool rasped. "I have a message that I must give to Squirrelflight." Her amber eyes flashed towards Hollyheart, and she could see that Leafpool was desperate.

"Let her come," Hollyheart meowed. Lionblaze flashed her a furious look, while Jayfeather only looked annoyed. Hollyheart siently guided Leafpool back to camp. The light brown tabby was so skinny that she might trip on anything. Hollyheart was also worried about how the Clan would react to Leafpool's return. She had heard from Cinderheart that the former medicine cat left the Clan on her own accord, but she knew that there was more to the story then her mother let on.

When they reached camp, Hollyheart heard an angry growl rise from Berrynose. The cream-colored warrior was guarding the entrance, and he looked fierce under the stars. But when he recognized Hollyheart, he let them pass, only casting curious glances at Leafpool.

More cats emerged from the warriors' den as they picked up the stench of crow-food that was coming off of Leafpool. Leapordpaw and Ivypaw both bounded out of the apprentices' den, with eyes that were bright with concern and curiosity. Briarleaf, Blossomflower and Spiderleg slowly emerged from the warriors' den and shot surprised stares at Leafpool. Hollyheart spotted Rainshower, who was just emerging from the medicine cat's den with a bundle of herbs in his jaws. He dropped them almost instantly and bounded over, his fur ruffled in shock and confusion.

"What's going on?" He asked. "Who's she?" He sniffed Leafpool carefully, then wrinkled his nose in disgust.

Soon, Squirrelflight came out of the warriors' den with Cloudtail and Poppyfrost close behind. Squirrelflight's green eyes were round with shock, and she bounded over too, nearly knocking Leafpool off her paws.

"Leafpool you've come back!" She mewed. Before Squirrelflight could say anything else, Hollyheart heard a stunned mew come from the elders' den. Sandstorm was almost charging towards them, looking just as shocked as Squirrelflight.

"Alright give her some space," Jayfeather snapped as he slowly approached. He had a couple of bitter smelling leaves in his jaws and gave them to Leafpool. "I know they're not much, but they'll help you," he murmured.

Leafpool blinked at him gratefully and took the bundle. The Clan slowly began to dwindle down until it was only Hollyheart, Sandstorm, Squirrelflight, Lionblaze and Jayfeather who remained. Bramblestar was watching from his den, his bright amber eyes gleaming with curiosity just like the rest of the Clan. Hollyheart began to wonder what news Leafpool had to bring, and she wondered what the light brown tabby meant by when she called her Hollyleaf.

Leafpool slowly rose to her paws and looked at everyone. Her tail tip flicked and she meowed, "I wish to speak to Squirrelflight, Jayfeather, Lionblaze and Hollyleaf."

Jayfeather bowed his head, while Lionblaze looked even more furious. "Hollyleaf...is dead," Jayfeather whispered.

Though she looked shocked, Leafpool nodded. She seemed to accept it well, even though she was still staring at Hollyheart. Sandstorm also understood Leafpool's meaning and padded back to the elders' den, joining Dustpelt and Longtail.

"Okay, now tell us what you need to tell us," Lionblaze growled.

"I have travled far and wide, and have learned many things," Leafpool began. "But of all things, I have learned perhaps the deadliest secret of all. BloodClan are on the move, and they are coming closer and closer. I've spoken to the rogues who were once part of BloodClan, and they say that their leader has grown wiser and now uses herbs to heal her cats. They also have more organized groups now." Leafpool's eyes were clouded with worry, and for once, Hollyheart understood why.

She had heard from Longtail and Dustpelt that BloodClan were a group of ruthless cats who had fun killing other cats. She never them, and she never wanted to. But now, it seemed like they were coming, and for revenge.


	33. Chapter 30

**A/N: Thanks Featheredwing for reviewing, you rock!**

~Chapter 30~

Hollyheart's fur prickled with fear at the mention of BloodClan's name. Since they had told Bramblestar of what Leafpool shared with them, she had never felt safe in the forest. Leafpool on the other hand had settled in well. She was getting to learn everyones' name, and even looked comfortable. But Hollyheart knew that the light brown tabby would never be fully accepted by the Clan, not after the way she had betrayed them and then left. Hollyheart herself had even doubted whether of not Leafpool would be allowed to stay, but it seemed like Bramblestar wanted to keep Squirrelflight happy. The dark ginger warrior was spending almost all of her time with her sister, and hardly left her side except to go on patrols or speak with Leapordpaw and Ivypaw.

She sighed and picked up a mouse from the fresh-kill pile, then she joined Muskedfur to eat. The dark brown tabby had been quiet since Leafpool's return, and she was beginning to sense that he felt almost as uncomfortable as she did. How long would it be before someone snapped at Leafpool? Hollyheart looked at Lionblaze, who still continued to glare at Leafpool as though he might shred her to pieces. She never fully understood how the golden tabby could think that way, but she did know that he did. Jayfeather had also been quiet since the tabby came back, and Hollyheart wondered if it had anything to do with the way Lionblaze was acting.

When she gulped down the last of her mouse, Hollyheart buried it near the entrance of camp. Muskedfur had followed, and he still held the same worried look. With a sigh, Hollyheart finally asked the question that had been burning in her throat all morning. "What's wrong?" She asked. He blinked and looked at her, and for a moment Hollyheart was afraid he might not answer. _For StarClan's sake you're supposed to share everything with me! _She wailed silently in her head.

"I was just thinking...what are we going to do about BloodClan?" He asked. His voice was full of doubt as he spoke, and for once Hollyheart understood. Muskedfur was afraid of what might happen. She rested her tail on his shoulder and looked at him gently. She cherished these moments the most, because they were the only times she could actually be alone with Muskedfur.

"I'm not sure," she replied. "But I _do _know that we will deal with them the same way Firestar did," she meowed in a determined voice. She would do anything to protect her Clan, family and everything she knew.

Muskedfur let out a sigh as if he had been holding his breath. The two of them padded back to camp, and Hollyheart stared at it in shock. Lionblaze was circling Leafpool like she was his mortal enemy, while Jayfeather, Spiderleg, Cragfur and Mossfoot sat on the side. All warriors looked just as battle hungry as Lionblaze. Leafpool crouched in front of him with her ears flattened and her eyes as wide as pools, Cragfur kept one paw on her tail so she couldn't move, while Spiderleg kept his claws unsheathed. During the whole time, Hollyheart wondered where the rest of the Clan was.

"Stop this at once!" Bramblestar's yowl split the air like lightning bolts. Hollyheart and Muskedfur turned to see the dark brown tabby charging down the slope that led into the clearing, flanked by Squirrelflight, Mousewhisker and Leapordpaw. The four cats stood in front of Lionblaze, whose amber eyes blazed with cold fury. Cinderheart emerged quickly from the warriors' den, only to be stopped by Mossfoot. Hollyheart watched in horror as Lionblaze lunged at Leafpool with his claws unsheathed. The light brown tabby let out a shrill wail of terror that was abruptly cut off by a gurgling sound that sent shudders through Hollyheart. Her own father had killed his own mother.

"Lionblaze, what have you done?" Squirrelflight screeched.

The whole Clan had come out to watch the episode, and Hollyheart had to close her eyes because of the scene. Cinderheart's shrill cry echoed off of the rocky cleft, and for a moment, Hollyheart wondered whether or not Lionblaze had killed her mother as well. But when she opened her eyes, she saw that Lionblaze was standing between Cragfur and Mossfoot, both cats looking equally ferocious. Spiderleg on the other hand looked confused, as though he had not planned to see the death of the former medicine cat. Jayfeather just stood there, his fur standing on end.

Hollyheart suddenly realized that Lionblaze and his followers would have to be punished. There was no telling what he would do if he found out that Hollyheart had actually tried to help Leafpool. She could tell by the look on Bramblestar that the ThunderClan leader was distraught after the scene he had just witnessed. Bramblestar jumped down in front of Lionblaze, and glared at the golden tabby with cold amber eyes.

"You realize that you are about to be punished sevearely for this?" He growled.

Lionblaze didn't even answer. He dipped his head, and suddenly look taken aback. For a moment Hollyheart wondered if it were real, but when she looked into his amber eyes, she could tell that he was faking it. He didn't even care that he broke the warrior code!

"Lionblaze, from now on you and your followers will no longer be allowed in ThunderClan," Bramblestar meowed. "If you are caught, you will be killed." His voice was gruff, and for once, Bramblestar looked almost scary. Hollyheart had never seen him look so furious, and now that she had, she wished that she could just take it back with one swipe of her paw.

The golden tabby didn't respond at first. But then he rose to his paws, and with a wave of his tail, he led Cragfur and Mossfoot out of camp. Hollyheart stared after them, and watched as his tail disappeared into the brambles. Everything she had known was beginning to fall apart. Lionblaze, her father had betrayed his Clan. Cinderheart had a devastated look on her face that Hollyheart knew would never leave. Something was changing ThunderClan. Something that had to do with ShadowClan. And Hollyheart knew exactly what that something was.


	34. Chapter 31

**A/N: Thanks allygirl56 for actually reviewing, you rock!**

~Chapter 31~

"Let all cats old enough gather around the Highledge for a Clan meeting!" Bramblestar's familiar yowl rang throughout the hollow, though Hollyheart noticed that most cats had come out to see what was happening. She saw Sandstorm rush over to Leafpool's blood-drenched body. The pale ginger she-cat let out a mournful wail, and had to be guided away by Rainshower in order for Bramblestar to continue the meeting. Muskedfur sat close to Hollyheart, while Pepperpaw and Silverpaw both bounded towards their mother, with eyes that were wide with horror. Hollyheart dug her claws into the ground and lashed her tail. No one should live in fear, especially at their own home!

"Today we have lost a good friend, and a deputy. I am saddened to say this, but Lionblaze has left the Clan for reasons that you already know." Bramblestar's eyes were blazing now with determination, and Hollyheart wondered why. Was he about to pick the new deputy? And if so, then who would it be? She glanced around her, and saw many perfect choices. It looked like Squirrelflight would be an obvious choice, she was loyal to her Clan and would never harm another cat unless she had to. But Sorreltail would also make a good deputy. She was kind, dependable and had more sense then a mouse. "I say these words, before the spirits of StarClan, so they may hear and aprove my choice," Bramblestar meowed. "Hollyheart will be the new deputy of ThunderClan."

Silence filled the hollow. Hollyheart just stared at the dark brown tabby, with her mouth hanging open. Did she just hear right? Did Bramblestar really appoint her as the new deputy? As she tried to put this together, everyone began to mutter to each other. Hollyheart could feel everyone else staring at her with a strange look, ones that were mixed with pride, and others that were filled with confusion.

"Are you sure about your choice Bramblestar?" Cloudtail finally pointed out. Hollyheart couldn't help but agree with the white warrior. She didn't think that she was ready for such a huge responsibly, let alone old enough. She was younger then Lionblaze, and not to mention his daughter. Could that be why Bramblestar chose her?

She gazed at him and saw that the rest of the Clan were thinking of the same thing. "My choice has been made clear," Bramblestar meowed. "Hollyheart has proven herself a loyal warrior over and over again, and I think it is only best that she becomes the deputy." His voice was firm, and his stare was level. He gazed at Hollyheart with warm amber eyes, and she shifted her paws in embarrassment.

With that, the meeting drew to a close. Bramblestar padded back into his den, followed by Squirrelflight and Jayfeather. Hollyheart knew that Jayfeather must be feeling terrible right now, after all, he had been Lionblaze's brother. With a blink of her eyes, Hollyheart padded over to the fresh-kill pile to grab herself a vole. She would have to eat before holding vigil for Leafpool. As she gulped down the vole, Muskedfur slowly approached. His amber eyes were bright with worry and shock, and Hollyheart had to keep herself from choking on the vole.

"So have you decided who will be leading the patrols?" He asked. He flicked his tail playfully over her ear, and Hollyheart stared at him, amusement gleaming in her green eyes. She hadn't even had the chance to think about it. Who should go on the patrols? "I'll lead the evening patrol if you'd like," Muskedfur suggested as he finished his wood lark. Hollyheart blinked at him gratefully, then gulped down the rest of her vole. "I'll take Poppyfrost, Mousewhisker and Leapordpaw out," he added with a glance towards the two warriors. "I think it's time both Leapordpaw and Ivypaw were assessed."

Hollyheart nodded in agreement. The two of them had been training longer then any of the others, but she was also worried. That meant the Clan would be left with only three apprentices, and she knew that Molepaw would be ready soon as well. Leafspots's kits were not old enough to become apprentices, and Hollyheart hated the fact that Bramblestar might hold off Molepaw's ceremony just for the fact that there _were _only five apprentices.

"We'll have to wait and see," she finally meowed. She buried her remains next to Muskedfur, and the two of them sat vigil next to Leafpool's body, alongside their Clanmates. _What secrets could she have told us? _She wondered as she stared at the tabby. She knew that Leafpool had left the Clan after admitting she gave birth to Crowfeather's kits. She also knew that Leafpool had been one of the many cats to go on the Great Journey.

With a sigh, Hollyheart shared tongues with Leafpool for one last time, just like the rest of the Clan. "May StarClan light your path," she whispered. The Clan had lost a valuable cat tonight. Leafpool could have done so much fo her Clan, even if she had broken the warrior code. But now, all of that was ruined.

-----------------

The forest was covered with morning dew as Hollyheart led the dawn patrol. Birchfall, Brightheart and Ivypaw had been chosen to go with her, and she was pleased with the progress Ivypaw made. The tabby-and-white apprentice had warned them of a ShadowClan patrol, and of the Twolegs that were nearby. It was strange to see Twolegs so close to the ThunderClan border, and though Hollyheart was worried, she knew they were not posing a threat like ShadowClan. She had learned that Lionblaze, Cragfur and Mossfoot joined them after being exiled by Bramblestar, and Hollyheart wondered what lies Snakeclaw told them.

"Well done Ivypaw!" Brightheart's mew made Hollyheart look over her shoulder.

Ivypaw had caught a squirrel just before it had the chance to climb up the base of the tree. Its tail dangled carelessly from her jaws, and Ivypaw looked thoroughly happy with her catch. "The squirrel was practically begging to be caught," she mumbled through the tufts of fur.

Hollyheart purred and padded over. The squirrel _was _plump, so it must have been an easy catch, but she wasn't about to let Ivypaw know that. Instead, she flicked her tail over the young apprentice's ear and continued to lead the patrol. The trees overhead were still growing leaves, so sunlight was able to reach the ground. Hollyheart was grateful for the warmth, though it did not help the fact that it was leafbare.

She paused near the edge of the border to WindClan. The stream had finally dwindeled down, and was nothing more then a trickle. Hollyheart had noticed that there were no Twolegs around either, and she guessed that they did not like the cold of leafbare either. Soon she spotted a WindClan patrol coming towards them, and Hollyheart recognized Eaglepaw, the young apprentice who had warned her about Leafspots. Emberfoot, who had been Leafspots' mate was also part of the patrol. The four WindClan cats soon reached them, and Hollyheart also noticed that they weren't as skinny as they usually appeared to be.

Emberfoot dipped his head, while Antpelt, a brown warrior with a black ear lashed his tail. Leaftail, a dark tabby tom just looked gruffly at the ThunderClan patrol. "Greetings," Emberfoot meowed. "How is the prey running in ThunderClan?" He asked. Though his tone was casual, Hollyheart knew he was thinking of Leafspots. She wondered if Bramblestar had told the Clans of what happened.

"It's running," Hollyheart replied. The last thing she wanted to do was tell them what happened. If they found out that there was a new deputy, then WindClan might think that ThunderClan was weak. She was not about to allow them to think about that. "Leafspots' kits are doing well, and are almost ready to become apprentices," she added cooly. Emberfoot flinched as though he had been stung by a bee. She wondered if anyone else noticed, but the others seemed too preoccupied by something else.

Hollyheart dipped her head once more, and watched as the WindClan patrol left. Eaglepaw cast her a glance that was full of sorrow, before joining his patrol. For an apprentice, it seemed like Eaglepaw was the most intelligent of the WindClan cats. Hollyheart purred, and knew that he would make a fine warrior. She looked at her patrol, then flicked her tail to lead the way back to the hollow. For now, it looked like things were peaceful. But Hollyheart wondered how long that peace would last between WindClan and ThunderClan.


	35. Chapter 32

~Chapter 32~

Hollyheart's tail dragged on the ground as she watched the elders carry Leafpool's body out of camp. It was the morning after Lionblaze's brutal attack, and the Clan was steadily returning back to normal. She stopped to see Muskedfur leaving camp with his apprentice, Molepaw. The two of them had been training harder then ever, and Hollyheart knew that it would only be a matter of time before Molepaw earned his warrior name. She had also noticed that Leapordpaw and Ivypaw were growing more and more powerful, and they would soon be ready to become warriors as well. It meant that the Clan would grow stronger, and that's just what Hollyheart hoped for.

She padded over to Poppyfrost, who was sharing tongues with Spiderleg. "Poppyfrost, would you mind leading a hunting patrol? The Clan needs to be fed," she meowed. With a glance at the fresh-kill pile, Hollyheart knew she was right. No one had gone hunting yesterday since the majority of the Clan had stayed in camp during Lionblaze's attack.

The tortoiseshell she-cat blinked, then nodded. Poppyfrost flicked her tail at Spiderleg, and he rose to his paws, while she did the same. Spiderleg slipped into the warriors' den and returned with Berrynose soon after. The three cats padded out of camp, leaving Hollyheart alone. She sighed and rose to her own paws, and then grabbed a mouse from the fresh-kill pile. Though it was small and old, it was better then nothing, and she hadn't eaten since last night. As she gulped down the last of her mouse, she noticed movement coming from the nursery. With a twitch of her whiskers, she saw that Firekit, Tanglekit and Lilackit were coming out of the nursery for the first time. Icestorm slowly followed; her belly was bulging now, and Hollyheart knew that it would not be long before her kits came.

The black she-cat purred as Firekit bounded forward, with his fluffy ginger tail sticking out in the air. His green eyes gleamed with mischief as he approached, and his fur was fluffed out with excitement. "Hi Hollyheart!" He mewed. "Icestorm just said we can go out now," he added with a flick of his tail.

"That's great," Hollyheart purred. She liked Firekit's spirit and hoped that someday she would get to mentor him. He was brave and strong, and seemed to learn faster then his littermates. Firekit was also the son of Leafspots, and he reminded her so much of her. "Would you like to learn the hunters crouch?" She asked. When Firekit nodded, Hollyheart dropped into the familiar position she had learned from Brackenfur so many moons ago. She took one step forward, and watched as Firekit tried to copy her move. He wasn't entirely great at it, but he had almost gotten it. "You're getting it," she murmured.

Firekit's eyes gleamed brighter then ever, and when Icestorm called him back, his tail sagged with disappointment. "I'll see you tomorrow," Hollyheart whispered. She licked his ear, and with an excited bounce, Firekit bounded back over, with his sisters watching him with wide eyes.

Hollyheart padded over to meet Bramblestar, who had just come out of his den. Squirrelflight was close behind him, and she was looking around warily, as though she was expecting an enemy to leap out from the shadows. Ever since Lionblaze had killed his own mother, Squirrelflight had been like this. The dark ginger she-cat would always jump at the slightest crack of a twig, or the sound of wings fluttering in the distance. Hollyheart wondered whether or not Squirrelflight would ever get over the loss of her sister.

"Hollyheart, I know that Leapordpaw and Ivypaw are going to be ready to become warriors soon, and I would like you to hold their assessment today," Bramblestar meowed. "Mousewhisker and Brightheart already know what's going on, so all you have to do is meet up with them." His voice was stern, and Hollyheart realized with a jolt that this was a big thing. She had never done an assessment yet, so she would have to do things carefully. She nodded and backed away from him.

The black she-cat bounded through the forest, towards the training hollow. Mousewhisker and Brightheart were already waiting, with both Leapordpaw and Ivypaw. The two apprentices were busy mewling loudly, and they both looked like they might burst with excitement. As she tried to calm herself down, Hollyheart padded into the training hollow. Both Mousewhisker and Brightheart looked up and blinked at her eagerly.

"Alright, do you know where you will be taking them?" She asked when she sat down.

"I want Leapordpaw to hunt near the stream at the border," Mousewhisker replied. Hollyheart knew that was a good place to hunt. She flicked her tail to show that she had heard, then looked at Brightheart, who looked a bit uncomfortable. "I would like Ivypaw to hunt near the abandoned Twoleg nest," she murmured.

Before Hollyheart could say anything, the two apprentices shot off. She sat there and wondered why Brightheart would choose the abandoned Twoleg nest, but with a shake of her head, she guessed that the ginger-and-white warrior had her reasons. She watched as both Mousewhisker and Brightheart slinked after their apprentices, clearly not wanting to be seen by them. During the assessment, the mentor was not to be found by the apprentice; Hollyheart had learned this when she was assessed by Brackenfur. She also learned that if their apprentice did well, then there was a good chance that they would become warriors that night.

She sat down and began to groom herself. Hollyheart had never felt so bored in her life, but right now, she needed to prove to her Clan that she was a worthy deputy. So she sat firmly and waited until the sun was high in the sky. Soon Mousewhisker returned with pride gleaming in his amber eyes. Brightheart also returned, though her tail was dragging on the ground as she padded in.

"Leapordpaw did really well," Mousewhisker meowed. "I think that he's more then ready to become a warrior," he added. Brightheart still hadn't spoken, and suddenly Hollyheart was beginning to worry. What was wrong with the white she-cat? Was something happening between Ivypaw and Brightheart that Hollyheart had not seen yet? While she had been asking herself these questions, Leapordpaw returned with his jaws full of resh-kill. He dropped it next to Mousewhisker and meowed in a proud voice, "I still have more." With that, the spotted golden tabby disappeared once again into the undergrowth.

Hollyheart was surprised to see Ivypaw bounding through the undergrowth, with only a couple of mice and a chaffinch in her jaws. Brightheart's whiskers twitched in alarm, and Hollyheart wondered why. But as she tried to ask the question, Leapordpaw returned with more fresh-kill in his jaws. Leapordpaw glanced at his sister, and suddenly looked almost as disappointed as Brightheart.

With a sigh, Hollyheart finally murmured, "lets go." She rose to her paws and grabbed some of the fresh-kill Leapordpaw had caught, and then led the way back to camp. She was beginning to feel uncomfortable around the tension that crackled the air like a thunderstorm during greenleaf.

She padded down the slope that led to camp, then slipped through the entrance, followed by Brightheart, Mousewhisker, Leapordpaw and Ivypaw. When she dropped the catch Leapordpaw had brought, she was greeted by surprised looks that were filled with pride and confusion. Hollyheart knew that the Clan was confused by the look of Ivypaw, who was still dragging her tail on the ground.

When Leapordpaw and Ivypaw sat down next to Molepaw, Silverpaw and Pepperpaw, Hollyheart padded over to Bramblestar. The dark brown tabby was sharing a few words with Jayfeather and Rainshower, and he looked at her with a nod. She waited patiently until the two medicine cats slipped away, then she rose to her paws to pad over to him. Bramblestar flicked his tail and stared at Hollyheart patiently.

"Leapordpaw did really well," Hollyheart mewed, repeating the words Mousewhisker had said. "But Ivypaw..." She didn't want to say anything bad about his daughter, but she knew that Ivypaw would not be allowed to become an apprentice if she did not prove herself worthy.

Bramblestar nodded, and his eyes gleamed with understanding. "I will hold Leapordpaw's ceremony tonight," he replied. Hollyheart let out a sigh of relief; she wasn't sure how she would be able to handle telling her daughters that they would not be made warriors.

Hollyheart padded over to join Muskedfur and Branchfoot, who were both discussing issues with borders. She was pleased to see how much her former apprentice had grown. Now Branchfoot was strong and powerful, and he rarely backed down from challenges unless he had to. She knew that ThunderClan was right to accept the brown tabby as she sat down with them.

"Let all cats old enough gather around the Highledge for a Clan meeting!" Bramblestar's yowl made Hollyheart look up. The dark brown tabby was standing on the Highledge, with his head raised proudly. Hollyheart licked Muskedfur's cheek and padded over. As the Clan deputy she would have to sit under the Highledge in order to assess the Clan; she had seen Brackenfur do this many times, and even Lionblaze did it in his short time as deputy.

Leapordpaw was nearly bounding out of the warriors' den with Mousewhisker at his side. The two cats looked like they would be bursting with excitement. Hollyheart suddenly realized that Leapordpaw was Mousewhisker's first apprentice, and she knew that he was pleased with his training. But when she looked at Ivypaw, Hollyheart noticed that the tabby-and-white she-cat looked disappointed. She shook her head, hoping that she wouldn't let Ivypaw's disappointment get to her. The young apprentice would just have to learn to be patient. Even Lynxclaw, her brother had to wait to be made a warrior; he had done badly in his assessment too.

"I, Bramblestar, leader of ThunderClan, call upon my warrior ancestors so that they may look down upon this apprentice. He has trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend him to you as a warrior in turn." Bramblestar looked down at Leapordpaw, with his eyes shining like the sun. "Leapordpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code, and defend your Clan, even with your life?"

Leapordpaw lifted his chin and meowed in a voice that was filled with pride, "I do."

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Leapordpaw, from this moment forward you will be known as Leapordblaze. StarClan honors you for your courage and ability to fight with your mind." Bramblestar jumped down from the Highledge, then touched his nose onto the spotted golden tabby. Leapordblaze in turn licked Bramblestar's shoulder, and the two of them looked at each other with wide eyes.

Squirrelflight was the first to chant his name, then Pepperpaw and Silverpaw joined in, along with the rest of the Clan. "Leapordblaze! Leapordblaze!" Hollyheart tried to make her voice sound heard as well, though it was difficult. Leapordblaze was a strong young cat, just what ThunderClan needed. But when she glanced back at Ivypaw, she saw that the young apprentice was fuming with jealousy. Ivypaw glared at Leapordblaze, then turned to go back into the apprentices' den. Hollyheart knew that the battle for loyalty was not over yet, and she also knew that it could cost ThunderClan severely.


	36. Chapter 33

**A/N: I'm sorry I didn't say this in the last chapter. But I am posting this now, so others will know. I will not update until I get at least five reviews each time, so for those who have made this your favorite story (and I know who you are), leave a review, and thanks allygirl56 and flareon200 for actually caring!**

~Chapter 33~

A cold gust of wind made Hollyheart shiver. The moon gleamed over the hollow, though its light was just as cold as the wind. It was a half-moon, the time when medicine cats went to share tongues with StarClan. Hollyheart hoped that Rainshower and Jayfeather would find Leafpool in StarClan; it would make her feel less anxious about the fact that the former medicine cat had broken the warrior code.

She sighed as she stared at her paws. Ever since Lionblaze had been exiled, the whole Clan had been in termoil. Hollyheart knew that they would heal in time, but she also knew that they had lost three brave warriors who would have given their lives for their Clan. Now that didn't seem to matter.

"Are you alright?" Muskedfur's voice made her jump. Hollyheart turned to see him staring at her; concern filling his yellow eyes.

"I'm fine," she replied. "I was just thinking whether or not Leafpool will be sharing tongues with Jayfeather or Rainshower," she added. It was hard to keep any thought from the dark brown tabby. Muskedfur always made her feel better, no matter what happened. He blinked and twined his tail with hers, reminding her of a time when the two of them had often argued as kits. "I miss Lionblaze," she whispered.

Muskedfur didn't look surprised. In fact, he looked sympathetic. Not only had Lionblaze been the Clans deputy, but the golden tabby had been her father. Hollyheart looked at her paws, and wondered if Cinderheart would ever be the same as well. The gray tabby hadn't spoken much since Lionblaze became an exile, and Hollyheart knew that her mother was usually always buzzing with excitement or happiness.

"I know what you mean," Muskedfur meowed. "I miss Ferncloud dearly." His voice was full of sadness. Hollyheart could hardly remember Ferncloud. The pale gray queen had been killed by a fox when she was on a patrol; that's why Dustpelt moved to the elders' den. The dark brown tabby had not been able to cope with the loss of his mate.

Hollyheart pressed her muzzle close to his fur, and watched as Jayfeather and Rainshower emerged from the medicine cats' den. Almost immediately Rainshower padded over to them, with his blue eyes shining with excitement. "Jayfeather said that I can go by myself tonight!" He exclaimed.

The blue-gray tom looked at both Hollyheart and Muskedfur, and for once, Hollyheart noticed a strange look in his blue eyes. She had been Rainshowers' best friend since the day they were kits, so she knew how to read his looks. But tonight he looked different, somehow not himself. With a sigh, she watched as he bounded out of camp, exchanging a few words with Bramblestar as he did so. Jayfeather, who had also been watching, returned into the medicine cats' den, then came back out with a bundle of herbs in his jaws. He padded straight for the nursery, and Hollyheart quickly realized that Icestorm must be giving birth. It would be good for ThunderClan to have even more kits. It would show the other Clans that they were not growing weak.

"I'd better organize the patrols," Hollyheart sighed as she rose to her paws.

Muskedfur followed her lead as she began to pace around the clearing. Pacing always helped her think when she was trying to figure out who to bring out into the forest. The evening patrol was already out, so all she had to work on was the dawn patrol and the sunhigh patrol. She padded over to the warriors' den, which was beginning to get covered with frost, and poked her head inside. There were only a few cats sleeping, Sunstream was sharing tongues with Foxwhisker, while Lynxclaw shared words with Blossomflower and Hazepelt.

"Lynxclaw, I'd like you to lead the dawn patrol tomorrow," Hollyheart whispered to her brother.

He glanced up at her in surprise, but nodded just the same. "Who should I take?" He asked.

"You can take who ever you want," she replied. The last thing she wanted was for him to think she was ordering him around. They hadn't exactly been on the best terms for a while since she became deputy, and all Hollyheart wanted was to be friends again. "And Cloudtail, I'd like you to lead the sunhigh patrol," she added to the long-haired white warrior. Cloudtail glanced up from his nest and twitched his whiskers to show that he had heard.

With a sigh of relief, Hollyheart curled up in her nest next to Muskedfur, and quickly fell to sleep. But her sleep was disturbed by dreams as well, and she kept writhing around in her nest, feeling as though something were chasing her.

Hollyheart found herself padding through a forest that was covered in pine trees. The ground below her was marshy, and there were a few other tree stumps here and there. She quickly spotted a frog hopping around, and felt a strange urge to go after it. But she knew that it would be mouse-brained to hunt in ShadowClan's territory, especially at night. That was when ShadowClan was most active.

Eventually her paws took her to a small clearing. Hollyheart saw what looked like a dark tabby figure, with fur that stuck out in all angles. At first she wondered if it was a cat, but when it glanced at her with gleaming amber eyes, Hollyheart knew that it was. She suppressed a shudder as she wondered why this cat would call her here.

"Greetings young Hollyheart," he meowed with a dip of his head. "Bluestar speaks much about you."

The black she-cat stared at him in surprise. What exactly did this cat mean by when he said Bluestar speaks much of her? She shook her head in confusion, trying to get all of the questions that were buzzing in her mind out. "Who are you?" She asked.

"My name is Raggedstar," the tabby replied. "I was once the leader of ShadowClan, a once great Clan with noble cats. But now they might as well be run by rogues." Raggedstar spat the last word out; his bright amber eyes blazed with frustration. Beside him sat a small gray-and-white tom, whose nose looked like it was crusted. She wrinkled her own nose, and guessed that this must be Runningnose, the former ShadowClan medicine cat. "Hollyheart," Raggedstar continued. "I have come to ask for your help. I want you to save ShadowClan from becoming just a pack of useless rogues."


	37. Chapter 34

**A/N: Okay, I'm _really _sorry it took me so long to update. My computer crashed and it took my mom a really long time to go and get it fixed. Anyways, on a ligher note, updates will be much more frequent now! Anyways, thanks xXPeaceLoveWarxX, flareon200, allygirl56, Shiori12 and icefox425 for reviewing!**

~Chapter 34~

Hollyheart felt her fur rush with fear. Why would Raggedstar, a leader from _ShadowClan_, come to her for help? She knew that Snakeclaw was a dangerous cat, and he was changing ShadowClan, but wasn't it up to Russetstar to help her own Clan? "I'm sorry, but I don't know how I could help your Clan," she meowed. "I'm already deputy of ThunderClan, how could I help?" Though she knew that she _could _help them, it was a big task. And that task might be too much for a deputy.

"Please, I am begging you for help," Raggedstar pleaded. His pale eyes were like fire as he stared at her. Hollyheart had to suppress a shiver. This cat was desperate. Especially if he were asking for help from a ThunderClan cat. "My Clan has been changing over the past few moons, since Blackstar died." Raggedstar's words came out in a rush, and it was almost difficult to understand what he was saying. "I need you to...stop Snakeclaw from taking over completely."

Before Hollyheart could say anything, his image began to disappear. Her tail lashed out in frustration. How in the name of StarClan was she supposed to help ShadowClan out if she couldn't leave her camp in the first place? She growled to herself, and blinked. Something had to be done about Snakeclaw, no matter how much she wanted to avoid a confrontation. The dark brown tabby had changed her father, and two brave warriors who could have been fine members of ThunderClan. His ambition was slowly spreading through the other Clans, and if he wasn't stopped soon, it would continue to grow.

"Are you okay?" A voice made Hollyheart open her eyes. She was back in the warriors' den, sleeping next to Muskedfur and Kerntail. Muskedfur's eyes were filled with concern as she slowly rose to her paws.

"I need to speak with Jayfeather and Rainshower," she mewed quietly. It was still dark out, and most of the warriors were sleeping. The only cats who were out were Branchfoot, Berrynose and Mousewhisker. The three warriors were out in the moonhigh patrol, and they weren't likely to come back until dawn. She padded out of the den, stepping lightly over Whitewing and Birchfall, who were sleeping together. Hollyheart was well aware of the fact that Whitewing's belly was slowly swelling. It wouldn't be long before the white she-cat moved to the nursery, and it was good for ThunderClan to have more kits.

Camp was silent as she slipped through; the only cat who was awake was Bramblestar. He was sitting on the Highledge, gazing towards the entrance. Hollyheart wondered if he would like some company, but she knew that she had more important things to consider. Bramblestar would just have to wait.

When she entered the medicine cats' den, Hollyheart saw that Silverpaw was fast asleep. Her daughter looked like she was finally getting better, and she drew a breath of relief. Silverpaw had been badly injured when she was out patrolling, and she had to stay in the medicine cats' den for the last two moons. Jayfeather was also asleep, but Hollyheart noticed that Rainshower was still awake, organizing some herbs. He glanced up from his work and stared at her in surprise.

"Is something wrong?" He asked. His blue-gray fur was sleek, and his blue eyes gleamed with worry.

Hollyheart dipped her head, and hoped that she didn't look as terrified as she felt. Was she really willing to defeat Snakeclaw? She would have to face him on her own of course, but the thought of it made her fur crawl. "I'm fine, but I need to speak with you," she murmured. "Alone."

Rainshower seemed to notice the urgency in her voice, because he immediately padded over. His whiskers were quivering with excitement, and Hollyheart had to let out an annoyed sigh. Rainshower was always worried about her. She knew that he was her best friend, but there were times when she wished that he could just treat her like any other warrior in the Clan. It was like he was her brother, and even Lynxclaw was not as protective!

She led him out into the forest, hoping that Bramblestar would not notice their disappearance. Hollyheart spotted an uprooted tree nearby, and thought that would be the perfect place for them to speak. It was quiet out, and the stars gleamed in the sky. As soon as they reached the root, she explained her dream. Rainshower didn't interrupt her, but his eyes did widen in astonishment as she described Raggedstar's sudden appearance, and the pleas that he made. She also explained the feeling she had when ever she was near Snakeclaw, or when he haunted her dreams.

"It sounds serious," Rainshower finally meowed. "I don't know what to say," he added with a flick of his tail. He looked frustrated. "But it sounds to me like Raggedstar is really desperate if he visited you." Though he didn't make it sound like an insult, it still stung to hear that. Hollyheart did her best to ignore the possability that the former ShadowClan leader may have visited other cats dreams. "I think you should do something about it though," Rainshower added. "If what he says is true, then it must be your duty to stop Snakeclaw."

"But what if I can't face him?" Hollyheart asked. Her voice came out as a squeak. She didn't realize that her heart was pounding as well. She felt as though a lump had formed in her throat. Could she really finally defeat her one true fear?

Rainshower just shook his head. The two of them sat there in silence. Hollyheart _knew _that she had to stop him, but something inside her told her that it wasn't up to her. _I will wait a while longer, _she decided. _What more could he possibly cause? _She wondered.


	38. Chapter 35

**A/N: Wow, I got five reviews already! I can't believe I've got over 100 reviews, and those reviewers are: Midnight Star725, WarriorsAddicted and Butterfliee. Thanks you guys. Oh, and I've noticed that I've called Leafspots Leafcloud in the past, but I've decided to keep her name as Leafspots. So please keep on reading to find if there are any other changes^^**

~Chapter 35~

Rain pelted on the ground as Hollyheart led the sunhigh patrol. Rosefoot, Spiderleg and Lynxclaw were with her. The three warriors had their ears high and alert, and their whiskers were quivering with tension. Hollyheart had decided to take them to the ShadowClan border. She knew that it would be mouse-brained to pick a fight with Snakeclaw out in the open, but she wanted to see just how bad it was. ShadowClan had gotten worse over the past moon about borders, and Hollyheart was desperate to stop them. Raggedstar, who had visited her dream about two suns ago was also desperate. She could see the look he gave her when he began to fade. But Hollyheart also knew that it would be difficult to stop Snakeclaw.

The dark brown tabby had a strong alliance with other cats, and not all of them were from ShadowClan. "I can already smell them," Lynxclaw growled as they soon approached the border. He was right. Their stench was stronger then ever, and Hollyheart was beginning to notice that it carried a strange mixture of scents. It held a tang of anger and fear in it.

She tipped her head to the side in confusion. Why were they afraid? Before Hollyheart could say anything, a low growl sounded from the darker side of ShadowClan's side. She gasped as Russetstar and Kinkfur lunged towards them. She was shocked to see how skinny Russetstar looked, and she couldn't do anything as the dark ginger she-cat lashed out at her. Lynxclaw and Rosefoot snarled as they worked together to stop Kinkfur from attacking as well, but Spiderleg was no where to be seen. Hollyheart whirled around desperately as Russetstar's claws sliced through her fur. She quickly spotted Spiderleg, who was snapping at Toadfoot's paws. Even he looked skinny, and his fur was ungroomed as she stared at him longer. But the pain she received from Russetstar was too much, and she had no choice but to bite down hard on Russetstar's shoulder.

Russetstar let out a yowl of rage as blood spilled out onto the ground. Hollyheart's heart thudded as Rosefoot and Lynxclaw fought back Kinkfur, who was beginning to slink back towards the ShadowClan border. "Wait!" A sudden cry made all cats stop. Hollyheart turned to see Dawnfrost, the ShadowClan deputy bounding towards them. She was almost as skinny as Russetstar and her other warriors. "Please, just stop fighting." Her blue eyes were filled with fear as she stared at Hollyheart, and suddenly she knew that Dawnfrost was telling them the truth. This fight would get them nowhere.

"What's happened to you?" Rosefoot asked when they were finally calm. Russetstar let out short, quick breaths as she tried to relax.

"Snakeclaw drove us out," Russetstar spat. "That mangy piece of crow-food." Her tail tip flicked with frustration as she glared at her paws. "We are all trying to survive, but it's getting more and more difficult."

Hollyheart stared at them in shock. Had Snakeclaw's influence really gotten that strong? She shook her head, and quickly realized that this was a problem that had to be delt with now. "Where are you staying?" She asked.

The dark ginger she-cat exchanged a wary glance with Dawnfrost, and Hollyheart knew what they were thinking. Should they trust a couple of ThunderClan cats? Finally Russetstar dipped her head. "We have been staying near the abandoned Twoleg nest," she explained. "It's the only safe place we can go now." Her amber eyes were filled with sorrow, and for once, Hollyheart felt sorry for her. Russetstar was a normally proud cat who took pride in her Clans' loyalty, but she knew that now Snakeclaw's fierce attitude and anger had gotten the better of her.

"Please take us to your Clan, they may stay in ThunderClan for now," Hollyheart meowed.

She heard an annoyed hiss come from Spiderleg. The long-legged black tom was glaring at her, though she guessed he was only thinking of the Clan. ShadowClan could learn all of ThunderClan's secrets if they stayed in their camp. It was a dangerous task, but Hollyheart knew that it was the right thing to do. StarClan would thank them later for it.

Russetstar rose to her paws and staggered a little. Dawnfrost stood beside her for support, and soon the ShadowClan cats led them towards their nest. There were only a few warriors there, and a couple of queens. Hollyheart recognized Flowerpetal, a young tortoiseshell she-cat with pretty blue eyes. Her belly was heavy with pregnancy, and her paws looked like they might fall off. Hollyheart padded over to her and licked her cheek. "It's going to be okay," she murmured softly. Flowerpetal's only reply was a blink. Her gaze was filled with sorrow, and suddenly Hollyheart realized why. _Could she possibly be Snakeclaw's mate? _She wondered.

"Cats of ShadowClan, I have some news to bring you," Russetstar called as she limped over to a small pile of sand. Most of the small group had gathered around it and were all staring at her with eager looks. "We ran into a ThunderClan patrol, and they have offered us better shelter. But I am afraid that only the elders and queens may go." Russetstar's eyes flashed with a challenging look. "For now, we will do what we can to avoid Snakeclaw. We must build our strength before we can defeat him." She padded towards a skinny brown tabby, whose ear was torn part way. "Oakfur, you must go with them," she mewed in a quiet voice.

Oakfur's eyes flashed angrily as Russetstar turned to leave. "But I have to help my Clan!" He cried. The dark ginger she-cat glanced over her shoulder and looked at him. Pity gleamed in her amber eyes. Oakfur's lips drew back in the beginnings of a snarl, but she was already gone. Hollyheart padded over to him.

"Don't worry, we'll take good care of your Clan," she whispered. Her green eyes flashed with determination. She would do what ever she could to help ShadowClan, even if it meant losing her life. Oakfur seemed to think better then to snap at her, and he quickly joined three she-cats. One carried a tiny scrap of fur in her jaws, while another had three older kits bouncing around, mewling with excitement. The last she-cat was Flowerpetal, and Hollyheart was accutely aware of how fragile she looked. "Rosefoot," she called he dark cream she-cat. "Would you please warn Bramblestar that there are more cats coming? We don't want to give ThunderClan any nasty surprises."

Rosefoot nodded and whisked away. Hollyheart stared after her, and suddenly wondered if she should have sent a stronger cat. But she thought the better of it, and joined the small group of cats. "Is everyone fit to travel?" She asked.

A tortoiseshell she-cat with bright green eyes nodded. Hollyheart realized that this was Tawnypelt, Bramblestar's sister, and the mother of Dawnfrost, Tigerheart and Flamecloud. She dipped her head, and Tawnypelt did the same. "We are all ready," she replied.

Hollyheart let Spiderleg take the lead. He was strong and fit, and looked like he hardly had a stratch on him. Hollyheart's wounds were beginning to sting, but she ignored them. What was important to her was taking these cats to a safe place to shelter. And that meant trekking through part of ShadowClan's territory, which would most likely be infested with Snakeclaw's spies. What would happen if they were caught like this? Surely the queen wouldn't be able to defend themselves. Even the thought of running into one of their patrols made her shudder. But determination made Hollyheart push forward. She _had _to help these cats, no matter what.


	39. Chapter 36

~Chapter 36~

The rain continued to poor as Hollyheart led the few ShadowClan cats back to camp. With Spiderleg in the lead, they moved quickly. Lynxclaw took the rear, while Hollyheart stayed in middle with Tawnypelt. The tortoiseshell she-cat looked as though she might fall over any time now, and Hollyheart wanted to make sure she had support just in case. Flowerpetal was also at her side, though she didn't look as wary as Tawnypelt. In fact, Flowerpetal looked eager to get away. Oakfur, who had been irritable the whole time, was grumbling to himself. His muzzle was gray with age, and he had a long scar on his shoulder.

Hollyheart was well aware of the fact that a ThunderClan hunting patrol could run into them. She had sent out two patrols in the morning, because the fresh-kill pile was slowly depleating. She didn't know how any other cat would react when they saw the ShadowClan warriors. She paused for a moment when Oakfur stumbled. He let out an annoyed hiss as he limped towards them.

"It'll be alright," she mewed. She gazed at the sky, and prayed silently that everything _would _be okay. Were StarClan watching over them right now? And if so, what did they think of Snakeclaw's hostile take over? Hollyheart's whiskers drooped as she remembered Raggedstar's pleas. She had ignored them, and this was where her ignorance got her.

"What's going on?" Leapordblaze's growl sounded from a distance. Hollyheart felt her heart sink. Leapordblaze was somewhat aggressive; he could easily charge into their group without realizing they meant no harm. "Why are there ShadowClan cats with you?" He added as he approached. Mudtalon and Branchfoot were with him, and the two of them looked wary. Hollyheart lashed her tail in annoyance. Of all times to come, they had to come now!

"They have come for help," she replied. "Continue hunting Leapordblaze, we will take care of them." Though he looked curious, Leapordblaze led his patrol further along the WindClan border. Hollyheart was grateful that he was one of the few cats who actually listened to her. She continued to press on the group, until they finally reached ThunderClan camp. One queen, a brown-and-white she-cat Hollyheart didn't recognize had a cluster of kits with her. There were about four kits, each looking more distinct then the other. Hollyheart heard surprised mutters come from the clearing as she led the ShadowClan cats towards it.

Rosefoot had already warned Bramblestar, and he was sitting in the center of the clearing. His eyes were bright with welcome, though Hollyheart could see that the other warriors were staring at them with strange looks. She knew this wouldn't be easy.

"Why are there ShadowClan cats with kits here?" Sandstorm demanded. The pale ginger she-cat had emerged from the elders' den, and was glaring at them through cold green eyes. Of all cats, Sandstorm spoke out the most. Hollyheart had hoped that she would stay in the nursery, but it looked like this was going to be difficult.

"They need our help," Hollyheart explained. "Something's happened that they can't stay." She didn't want to give too much information, though it would help ThunderClan in the future, it didn't seem right to give anything away. Bramblestar seemed to notice what she was doing, because he said no more.

"Molepaw, Pepperpaw, make sure you make nests for these cats," Bramblestar ordered as the two apprentices approached. Pepperpaw's amber eyes gleamed at the prospect of actually helping another Clan. It seemed like Bramblestar might make her punishment last less.

"Can I help?" Silverpaw asked as she joined them. Her blue eyes gleamed with hope. Hollyheart glanced at her other daughter and shook her head sadly. Ever since her accident, Silverpaw had been bored. She did nothing but sulk in the medicine cats' den all day, and it didn't help now that Pepperpaw and Molepaw were helping the ShadowClan cats. "Please? My leg's gotten better," she begged.

Bramblestar looked down at her, and his whiskers twitched with amusement. "You can help, so long as you don't over work yourself," he meowed.

Silverpaw nodded her thanks and joined Pepperpaw. The two she-cats went out into the forest, and Hollyheart was sure that for a moment, she saw a blue-furred cat following them. _Bluestar? _She wondered. The former ThunderClan leader had often visited her dreams, it surprised her though that Bluestar would want to help her kits. She watched them go, and for a moment wondered if she should keep an eye on them. But Hollyheart suspected that if Bluestar's spirit was with them, they would be fine.

"Tawnypelt, who is with you?" Bramblestar asked.

The tortoiseshell she-cat turned. There were three queens in total, and Oakfur of course. The small brown tom was bristling as the ThunderClan warriors milled around him. Hollyheart noticed that Lynxclaw kept a close eye on him. If Oakfur made a run for it, there would be no chance of an escape. Muskedfur was also keeping a close eye on him, as were a couple of other warriors. Suddenly Hollyheart understood why they were. They were suspicious! Her fur bristled at the thought that her own mate wouldn't trust her judgement. Hollyheart understood why the others would feel this way, but Muskedfur of all cats!

"Flowerpetal and Brightflame are with us," Tawnypelt replied. Brightflame and Flowerpetal dipped their heads. Oakfur remained as jumpy as ever, and didn't seem to notice the exchange that passed between Tawnypelt and Bramblestar.

"Flowerpetal and Brightflame may stay in the nursery. I'm afraid there won't be enough room for you Tawnypelt," Bramblestar mewed. Though his eyes were apologetic, Hollyheart could see the real reason why he said that. He wanted to spend as much time as he could with his sister. "Sandstorm, you and Dustpelt wouldn't mind if Oakfur stayed with you right?" He asked. Longtail rarely spoke now a days. In fact, he was partially deaf thanks to the fact that he constantly heard Sandstorm and Dustpelt argue all of the time.

"So long as he isn't carrying flees," Sandstorm muttered crossly. Dustpelt nodded in agreement. Oakfur followed them, though Hollyheart could tell that he didn't like this idea one bit. She decided that he'd just have to deal with it.

Soon Silverpaw, Pepperpaw and Molepaw returned with wads of moss in their jaws. Hollyheart was surprised to see that Silverpaw also had some feathers as well. _She must have found them while they were looking for moss, _Hollyheart thought as Silverpaw followed Molepaw towards the nursery.

Rainshower emerged from it with wide eyes and stared at Hollyheart for a few moments. "What's going on?" He asked.

"We brought home a couple of ShadowClan cats," Spiderleg replied for her. "They'll be staying for a while."

The blue-gray tom flattened his ears at Spiderleg. "Well, Icestorm just had her kits in case anyone cares," he growled.

Lynxclaw let out a muffled squeak and surged forward. As the father of her kits, he was likely to be the first to see them. Hollyheart let out a purr of amusement. As usual, Lynxclaw would be the last to know. She shook her head and licked Rainshower's cheek. "Are they healthy?" She asked.

"They're fine," Rainshower replied. "She's had two healthy kits, one tom and one she-cat."

Hollyheart nodded. At least there was one good thing going on. ThunderClan would soon have more apprentices, and that meant more warriors. It also meant that the Clan would remain strong, and maybe, just maybe they could defeat Snakeclaw.


	40. Chapter 37

~Chapter 37~

"They're beautiful," Hollyheart purred as she stared at Icestorm's kits. She had decided to go visit the nursery when the ShadowClan cats were settled. Flowerpetal and Brightflame stayed in the farthest part of the nursery. Their kits' eyes were wide with exictement as they tried to take in their new surroundings, and Hollyheart noticed that Firekit, the boldest kit of Leafspots' litter had gone over to check them out. Soon Tanglekit and Lilackit padded over. The two of them were still confused with the situation, but they treated Brightflame's kits just like any other kit. Hollyheart was pleased with their progress.

Firekit was an adventurous kit, and she knew that he would make a great apprentice some day. She had hoped that she would be able to mentor him when the time came. "Have you thought of names for them?" Hollyheart asked as she looked back at Icestorm and Lynxclaw. Her brothers' eyes were gleaming with pride, and he licked his mate behind the ear. Icestorm purred and returned the lick.

"I have," Icestorm replied. "I've decided to name this one Flightkit." Her tail pointed to a tortoiseshell she-kit, whose fur had the same darker stripes like Lynxclaw. "And this one Stormkit." Her tail pointed to a dark gray tom kit. Hollyheart purred. They would make fine warriors one day, and it was just what ThunderClan needed.

"Congradulations Icestorm," Flowerpetal mewed. She was sitting next to Brightflame, though her belly was bulging. Hollyheart suspected that they had become good friends in the past couple of moons. During the last Gathering she had been at, she saw the two of them sharing a few words. Icestorm nodded to her, and layed her head on her head.

Hollyheart padded out of the nursery, and was greeted by Jayfeather. He sat in front of her, and his tail tip was flicking from side to side. She cocked her head in confusion. Just what did Jayfeather want with her?

"Hollyheart, can I speak to you?" He asked. She nodded, but he continued, "I'd like to speak with you outside camp."

She followed him into the forest, until they reached a muddy area. Hollyheart had only been here once, when she was an apprentice. But she was surprised to hear water running, and for a moment, she wondered what it was. Then when she prodded the ground with her paw, she heard a hollow ring. _What is this place? _She wondered.

"You had a dream from StarClan, didn't you?" Jayfeather asked. His eyes were shining, despite the fact that he was blind, it made Hollyheart shudder. How had he guessed? "I can sense when someone is feeling uncomfortable, or anxious," he explained as if he had read her thoughts. "I...I was wondering if you would be able to save Lionblaze from Snakeclaw," he added. His voice wavered for a moment, and suddenly Hollyheart understood what he was doing. He wanted to stop Snakeclaw as much as she did, no matter how much he had been apart of Leafpools' death. "Something stopped me from stopping him!" Jayfeather snapped as if he read her thoughts again.

"Stop that!" Hollyheart hissed. She didn't like having her thoughts read. It was like she had no secrets. _Should I tell him about the voice in my head? _She wondered. It had been a long time since she heard prey speak to her, and it had also been a long time since she heard the voice. Hollyheart had begun to think that her power was beginning to fade. Why else would she not hear anything?

"I'm sorry," Jayfeather murmured. "I just feel like my life has been wasted, ever since Lionblaze left." He suddenly looked small in front of Hollyheart. She licked him gently behind the ear.

"No, _I _should be sorry," she whispered. "I should have stopped Snakeclaw while I had the chance. But now he will have bodyguards with him where ever he goes. He will be more cautious." She knew it was true. Snakeclaw had thought of everything, and that meant he would have thought of protecting himself.

"Then how will we stop him?" Jayfeather demanded. _We? _Hollyheart thought. She let out a small purr. Finally, Jayfeather was acting more like a medicine cat then anything else.

"We'll think of something," Hollyheart assured him. "StarClan have guided us this long."

She wathed as he stood up. Hollyheart knew that he wouldn't thank her for supporting him, so she let him take the lead. Unlike most cats, she didn't pity him. In fact, she almost envied him. Jayfeather had better hearing then most cats could ever dream of, and his sense of smell was ten times better then a normal cat. He would have made a great hunter, but instead he chose the raw path of a medicine cat.

By the time they reached the hollow it was close to moonhigh. Hollyheart's paws sagged with exhaustion. But there was one more task she had to do, and that was forming the dawn patrols and hunting patrols. Leapordblaze and Mousewhisker had only come back with small portions, no thanks to the rain they got. Most of the prey had hidden themselves in their burrows, awaiting the next day.

The black she-cat made her way into the warriors' den and curled up in her nest. She would send out Poppyfrost to lead the dawn patrol, and Poppyfrost could take Ivypaw and Brightheart with her. Suddenly Hollyheart's fur prickled. It would soon be time Ivypaw recieved her warrior name. She just hoped that Ivypaw wouldn't resent the fact that Leapordblaze had become a warrior before her.

And as for the hunting patrols, she would go herself, with Muskedfur and Molepaw. She wanted to see how well Molepaw was getting along. Maybe Molepaw could become an apprentice along side Ivypaw. Hollyheart let out a sigh and soon fell asleep. Her dreams were peaceful that night, and she didn't have to worry about Raggedstar's piercing gaze as he begged her to help him.


	41. Chapter 38

**As many of you know, I've written a lot in this story. Sadly, it is almost over, and with that, the tale of  
Hollyheart will soon be over as well. But, I have at least thirteen chapters to go, so fret not! Oh, and  
I will be writing a sequel to this story, so keep a close eye on things! And PLEASE leave a review.  
I want to know what everyone thinks about it.**

**~Dreamsong**

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~Chapter 38~

The forest was unusually warm and quiet this morning as Hollyheart followed Muskedfur and Molepaw. She had already decided who would go on the sunhigh patrols and evening patrols, so she didn't have much to worry about, other then the issues ThunderClan had with the ShadowClan cats. Muskedfur had remained quiet the whole time, while Molepaw on the other hand, continued to chatter constantly.

Hollyheart felt as though a dark cloud was forming around her and Muskedfur. Ever since she helped out ShadowClan he had been like this. _Oh StarClan, have I done the right thing? _She wondered bleakly. She paused for a moment to sniff the air. They were near the border of WindClan, and Hollyheart could hear the murmuring of the stream. But a fresh scent told her that a patrol was nearby.

The black she-cat was shocked when she felt claws rake her back. Hollyheart let out a yowl of pain, and whirled around to stare into the face of Crowfeather, a dark gray warrior. His blue eyes gleamed with fury, and she soon heard more yowls break out. What Hollyheart saw almost made her choke out a cry. Crowfeather had led an ambush!

Muskedfur and Molepaw were surrounded by five warriors. Hollyheart recognized Emberfoot, the father of Leafspots' kits, Eaglepaw, the brown-and-white apprentice whom she met when she helped WindClan, and a couple of other warriors. Crowfeather, the oldest and most powerful of them stood in front of her with his lips curled back in a snarl.

"What are you doing Crowfeather?" Hollyheart demanded. She had meant to sound strong and furious, but instead her voice came out in a shrill cry.

"We must expand our territory!" Crowfeather snarled. "ThunderClan cats have grown far too weak to be bothered with," he added in a low, cold voice.

Before she could react, Crowfeather lashed out long claws and sliced her nose. Hollyheart yowled once more and shuddered as scarlet red droplets of blood dripped onto the ground. She couldn't do anything to defend herself. As much as Hollyheart wanted to slash these warriors, she felt as though they were her friends. She had helped them through their time of need, when prey had become scarce. Clearly they didn't remember, but she knew one cat who would. She turned to face Eaglepaw, whose eyes were wide with fear and shock. Crowfeather didn't notice their exchange. He leaped at her and pinned Hollyheart to the ground. The dark gray warrior pressed his nose close to her, and his breath reaked of fresh rabbit. All Hollyheart could do was lay there and pray that nothing drastic would happen.

"It's time for you to hunt with StarClan," Crowfeather hissed. He held up one massive paw, and Hollyheart braced herself for the worst. She closed her eyes as he prepared to attack, but then she felt nothing. She opened her eyes she see that Eaglepaw had rushed into Crowfeather. The dark gray tom whirled around to face the young tom, his eyes glaring with hatred.

"Crowfeather stop!" Breezepelt's yowl broke the silence. Hollyheart turned to see him standing with Heathertail, who looked as though she might fall apart.

The dark gray warrior curled his lips once more. "This is not your battle," he growled. Then he turned back to Hollyheart. "Now, are you ready to-" Crowfeather didn't have time to finish his sentence. Hollyheart jabbed him hard with her back legs. She didn't need to be warned about his teeth as they clacked near her ear. She dodged neatly to the side as Crowfeather tried to get his barrings.

Hollyheart leaped to the side again when he was about to make his next move. Crowfeather growled in frustration. She could see that he was already growing tired, but Hollyheart also knew that it would only be a matter of time before he made his worst, final move. She glanced around and saw that the five WindClan cats had formed a semi-circle around them. Muskedfur and Molepaw were no where to be seen, and Hollyheart had to close her eyes again. _He doesn't love me, _she thought solemnly. There was no reason to live if she had no one to care about forever. She glanced at Crowfeather with pleading eyes, and hoped that he would just end this quickly.

But there was no pain, only silence. Eaglepaw had crept close to Crowfeather, and kept one eye on him. But the brown-and-white apprentice was also staring at Hollyheart. She stared back at him, and what he saw there was defeat.

Suddenly a yowl broke through the trees. Hollyheart didn't know who the cry belonged to. She didn't care either. She watched as Bramblestar leaped into the fray, with Lynxclaw, Branchfoot, Muskedfur and Molepaw at his side. She didn't watch as they began to battle. Hollyheart just didn't have the strength to carry on. She stood there and waited until the battle died away. Then she felt a tail touch her shoulder.

"Are you okay?" Lynxclaw's concerned meow made her look up.

"I'm fine," Hollyheart murmured. But in truth, it felt like her heart had been torn in two. She glanced around to see if Muskedfur was there, and of course, he was. But he was too busy paying attention to Molepaw to notice the hurt in her green eyes. She let it go, and padded back to camp. Hollyheart could feel Lynxclaw's stare boring into her, but she ignored it. All she wanted to do, was talk with Rainshower and Jayfeather. At least she could find comfort in her friends.

When she reached camp, Hollyheart saw that Rainshower was busy checking on Icestorm's kits. She spotted Silverpaw and Pepperpaw sharing tongues, and felt a pang of sympathy for her two daughters. _I was willing to leave them, _she realized as she stared at them. Hollyheart also saw that Firekit, Lilackit and Tanglekit were playing outside for the first time.

Rainshower looked up from what he was doing and gasped. Hollyheart padded over to him, her green eyes filled with mixed emotions. "We ran into a WindClan patrol. They ambushed us," she explained. Her voice was oddly flat, and Hollyheart was surprised with herself.

"There's more isn't there?" Rainshower asked. His eyes were filled with concern as he stared at her, and for once, Hollyheart was grateful for his friendship.

"It's Muskedfur," she murmured. "I...." She drew a sharp breath. "I don't think he loves me anymore." She looked up at Rainshower, and saw a look of cold fury in his blue eyes.

"I could have told you he wouldn't make a good mate," he muttered. "He's the type of cat who doesn't listen to reason."

Hollyheart flinched as though a bee had stung her. Sure Muskedfur had been a mouse-brain at times, but he always cared for her. But then she remembered the days when she was in the nursery, and she realized that he rarely came in to visit. In fact, he probably didn't even remember his kits' names.

"I'm sorry Rainshower," she whispered. "I need to think about this on my own." With that, she left the gray-blue tom in the clearing. Hollyheart ran through the forest; avoiding any hunting parties on the way. At this point, all she wanted was to be alone. And she hoped that soon, StarClan would give her the answer to her problems.

* * *

**So what did you think? I had a really hard time writing this chapter, it's really actually very sad.  
But anyways, I hope you liked it! Now let me ask you something, what do _you _think Hollyheart  
should do with Muskedfur?**

**~Dreamsong**


	42. Chapter 39

**Wow, I can't believe I have over 100 reviews! Well, anyways, thanks to all who have reviewed this story so far,  
you all get Silverpaw plushies! So I've also had a few ideas as to what Hollyheart should do with Muskedfur,  
and you will find out in this next chapter^^**

**~Dreamsong**

**

* * *

**

~Chapter 39~

Hollyheart stood near the stream, her fur ruffled in the wind. She just didn't know what to do about Muskedfur. She had spent the entire night there, and Hollyheart knew that the Clan would start to worry about her. And yet, she didn't think that she could face them right now. _I ran away, _she thought solemnly.

She finally decided to go back after it began to rain again. It had been like this over the past couple of suns now, and the forest was wet, green and cold. Hollyheart's whiskers were already covered in the rain, and she shivered as a cold wind buffeted the trees. She paused for a moment when she spotted a mouse nibbling on a seed. At least she could come back with some prey, no matter how wet it would be. Hollyheart dropped to a hunters crouch and stalked towards it. But before she had the chance to, Hollyheart heard a twig snap. The mouse heard it too, and whisked away into a hollow tree root.

The black she-cat growled in frustration. Someone had stopped her from catching what looked like a good piece of fresh-kill. She whirled around, only to stare into the face of Eaglepaw and Emberfoot. Hollyheart blinked in confusion. What were these WindClan cats doing here? Hadn't they been taught a lesson?

"We're sorry about that," Emberfoot meowed with a dip of his head. "Eagleheart was too excited to sit still." His yellow eyes gleamed with amusement as he glanced at the brown-and-white tom.

Hollyheart let out a soft purr. "You're a warrior now, congratulations," she murmured.

Eagleheart dipped his head in embarrassment. "Yeah, it was only thanks to Sparrowflight that we were able to be warriors. She stopped a fox from coming into camp." His eyes narrowed at the mention of a fox. Hollyheart remembered the first time she saw a fox. It had been a nasty looking creature with dark russet-colored fur and a long bushy tail.

"Why are you here?" Hollyheart suddenly asked. She didn't want them to feal uncomfortable around her, but they _were _trespassing.

The two toms suddenly looked serious. "We were...we were wondering if we could join ThunderClan," Emberfoot mewed. Before Hollyheart could say anything, he explained. "I'm tired of not being around my kits. They're the only memory I would have had of Leafspots." Hollyheart bowed her head at the mention of her best friend. Leafspots had died giving birth, and she had fallen in love with Emberfoot when they met during a Gathering. No one else knew who their father was, but if Emberfoot and Eagleheart decided to join now, it would mean telling them the truth.

"The Clan doesn't know," she whispered.

Emberfoot didn't look surprised. In fact, he almost looked glad. "They wouldn't have accepted them into the Clan if they knew," he muttered.

Hollyheart turned to look at him, hoping to look serious. "You do realize that by joining the Clan, they will have to know," she meowed.

"I will help comfort them when they are old enough to learn," he replied.

With a sigh, she finally gave in. But she had to ask one thing that might make her change her mind. "Why do you want to join in the first place?"

The two toms exchanged a wary glance. "It's Crowfeather," Eagleheart explained. "He's been getting worse and worse, and ever since Whitetail died, Ashstar has become more aggressive." His eyes gleamed with a cold fury at the mention of Crowfeather's name.

Hollyheart shuddered as she remembered what Crowfeather had been about to do. But then another thought struck her. _Whitetail is dead?_She shook her head as she remembered the friendly small white she-cat. Whitetail had been so desperate to help her Clan, and was willing to accept help from Hollyheart when she shared the prey she caught. Suddenly Hollyheart wondered whether or not Snakeclaw had anything to do with this. Her claws tore at the ground at the thought of Snakeclaw's name. The dark brown tabby's ambition was spreading through the Clans, and Hollyheart knew that it was only a matter of time before he took over all Clans.

"Alright, follow me," she finally sighed. At least ThunderClan would gain two strong warriors in the proccess; it was just what they needed. But as she led them back to camp, a cold feeling of dread seeped through her fur. What would happen if Bramblestar didn't accept them? She couldn't imagine what Ashstar would do to them if they came back, carrying the scent of ThunderClan.

The rain began to slow as Hollyheart stepped through the thorn barrier. "Wait here," she ordered. Even though they were with her, the Clan was already on edge because she brought home a couple of ShadowClan warriors. Squirrelflight and Berrynose were guarding the barrier, and both warriors looked at her curiously. Hollyheart knew that she would carry the scent of the warriors, since she had spoken to them for quite some time. But they didn't question her; they dipped their heads as she padded past them.

Bramblestar was sitting on top of the Highledge. His amber eyes were filled with what looked like wariness, and Hollyheart began to wonder why. But she held her head high and jumped up to join him. The dark brown tabby glanced at her with narrowed eyes but said nothing. Rarely did a cat join him on the Highledge, unless they had an important matter to discuss.

"Bramblestar, I have something I need to tell you," she finally mewed.

But before she could explain, Hollyheart heard a furious yowl from the outside of the barrier. Hollyheart lowered her gaze as Thornclaw bounded in with his fur standing on end. "Why are there WindClan warriors sitting outside?" He growled.

The ThunderClan leader rose to his paws, and his eyes gleamed with fury. "Is this what you wanted to discuss?" He demanded.

Hollyheart bowed her head. There was no way she could avoid not explaining this to him. "I...they asked if they could join," she whispered.

Bramblestar glared at her coldly. "As my deputy I thought you would have known better," he growled. "We already have too many mouths to feed, so why would you bring in more warriors?" His tone was cold.

"I'm sorry," she murmured.

Suddenly Bramblestar looked tired. "It's alright," he meowed. "But if they _do _wish to join, then I expect them to remain as loyal cats and I expect them to hunt for themselves."

Hollyheart stared at him in surprise. She had expected him to be furious with her, but instead, he only looked...happy? Hollyheart tilted her head. Why would Bramblestar be happy that two more cats, cats from WindClan, were joining?

"Let all cats old enough gather around the Highledge for a Clan meeting!" He yowled.

Most cats had already gathered. Emberfoot and Eagleheart padded through the tunnel and sat at the farthest part of the group. Hollyheart sat in her place below the Highledge. This was her first time actually sitting her for a Clan meeting. Her eyes gleamed with excitement at the thought of being here, where Brackenfur and her father Lionblaze sat. She watched as Molepaw and Ivypaw padded out of the apprentices' den, and suddenly remembered that today was their ceremony. Brightheart held her head proudly as she led Ivypaw, and Muskedfur looked like he might burst with excitement at the thought that his apprentice was to become a warrior. Hollyheart narrowed her eyes at him, and the dark brown tabby flinched. _At least he seems to remember me, _she thought as she watched him grow more uncomfortable.

"Now," Bramblestar meowed when Ivypaw and Molepaw sat in the center of the clearing. "Before I begin their ceremony, I have news from Hollyheart. Two WindClan warriors have asked to join ThunderClan, and I have decided that they may, so long as they remain loyal and strong." Bramblestar looked down at Emberfoot and Eagleheart, and the two of them dipped their heads.

No one seemed to complain about this, and Hollyheart was pleased with herself. At least the Clan seemed to accept the two WindClan warriors. Bramblestar glanced over at Ivypaw and Molepaw. "Now for a more important matter. Brightheart, Muskedfur, do you believe your apprentices are ready to become warriors?"

Brightheart lifted her head and looked up at Bramblestar. Her one good eye was filled with pride. "I do," she replied.

"I do," Muskedfur meowed.

Bramblestar nodded, and began the ceremony with the words that Hollyheart had heard for many moons. "I, Bramblestar, leader of ThunderClan, call upon my warrior ancestors so that they may look down upon these apprentices. They have trained hard and have learned your noble code, and I commend them to you as warriors in your turn." He glanced down at Ivypaw and Molepaw. "Do you promise to uphold the warrior code, and defend your Clan, even with your life?"

"I do," Ivypaw mewed. Her tone was bright and strong. Hollyheart glanced at Leapordblaze, and saw that Ivypaw's brother was bouncing with excitement. Leapordblaze had been made a warrior a moon before Ivypaw, and the brown-and-white she-cat had never complained about it once.

"I do," Molepaw mewed in the same excited voice.

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior names. Ivypaw, from this moment forward, you will be known as Ivyflower. StarClan honors you for your good judgement and nobility." Bramblestar leaped down from the Highledge and pressed his muzzle to Ivyflower's forehead. Ivyflower licked his shoulder in return.

"Molepaw, from this moment forward, you will be known as Molepelt. StarClan honors you for your high strong energy and excellent hunting skills." Molepelt did the same thing as Ivyflower did.

"Ivyflower! Molepelt! Ivyflower! Molepelt!" The Clan chanted. Hollyheart was surprised when she saw that even Emberfoot and Eagleheart chanted their new names. She was glad that they would take part in even the most traditional part of ThunderClan.

"Now according to tradition, you must sit vigil for your ceremony," Bramblestar meowed as the meeting drew to an end. Hollyheart padded over to them and congratulated them for their achievement. When she spotted Muskedfur, who had praised his former apprentice earlier, she padded over to him. Muskedfur didn't look her in the eye, and he was silent.

"Muskedfur," she murmured. "I..." she didn't know what to say. What else could she say to save their relationship?

"I'm tired," he grumbled. "It was a long day, and unlike you I actually had a job to do." She watched in shock as the dark brown tabby stalked away. Hollyheart gaped at him, and couldn't do anything to stop him. All her life she had always loved him, but now, it seemed like that love was just torn in two.


	43. Chapter 40

**Ten chapters left to go! Oh the suspense, anyways, thanks to all who have reviewed! Please, please, please leave  
a review here, I'll really appreciate it!**

**~Dreamsong**

**

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**

~Chapter 40~

"Muskedfur, I need to talk to you, now," Hollyheart meowed as the dark brown tabby approached the fresh-kill pile. It was the day after Ivyflower and Molepelt were made warriors, and after Emberfoot and Eagleheart joined ThunderClan. She had watched him as he emerged from the warriors' den, and had prepared a nice, long speach. If Muskedfur didn't want to be her mate, then Hollyheart would just have to deal with it. But that didn't mean he could just neglect his kits. It was time she put her paw down and told him the truth about how she felt.

The dark brown tabby warrior sat in front of her. Muskedfur only looked confused, and Hollyheart's anger rose as she realized that he didn't remember what he told her the night before. Was he really this mouse-brained? She took a deep breath, then began to talk. "Muskedfur, I know you are a loyal warrior, there's no doubt about that," she meowed. "But I've seen the way you act around me, and...well, quite honestly, I'm tired of it." She stared at him, and Hollyheart could see shock within those yellow eyes. "If you don't want to be my mate, then fine, but you have to start acting like a proper father to Silverpaw and Pepperpaw. They will be wondering why I don't speak to you anymore."

Her words were met with silence. Hollyheart waited patiently as Muskedfur tried to think of something to say. She would wait here for the rest of her life if she had to. All that mattered was finding out if they had a future together. "Hollyheart, I'm sorry," he finally managed to say. "Really I am. I just got so caught up in Molepelt's training that I didn't have time..." He bowed his head. Hollyheart's eyes narrowed. What sort of an excuse was that? "I really _am _sorry," he murmured. "I just...I was so mad when you brought home those ShadowClan warriors that I forgot how much you meant to me. You mean the whole world to me. I don't know what I would do without you." He glanced up at Hollyheart, his eyes filled with sorrow.

She let out a long sigh of relief. "Muskedfur, I know that you felt that way. And I'm sorry it's brought so much trouble to you. But I _have _to help them." She looked at him intensely, and prayed silently that he would understand what she meant. "Please remember that I am just as loyal as you, and I would give my life to defend this Clan, no matter what the cost."

Muskedfur pressed his muzzle on her forehead, and it sent a shiver through her spine. For once in the last couple of suns, Hollyheart finally felt like she was at home. "I forgive you, if you forgive me." His yellow eyes were just as intense as hers; Hollyheart dipped her head. She had already forgiven him. Muskedfur seemed to notice, because he licked her cheek gently. "I have to leave for a patrol, I'll be back soon," he mewed.

With that, he left with Mousewhisker, Kerntail and Pepperpaw. Hollyheart suddenly realized that he would be spending more time with his daughters, and the thought of it made her happier then ever. She padded over to the warriors' den, at least there she could get some shut eye. It had been a long night for her, since she helped get Eagleheart and Emberfoot settled in. Emberfoot spent the day staring at Firekit, Lilackit and Tanglekit, and Brightflame, a ShadowClan queen shot him a suspicious glare. _If he doesn't stop he'll get caught, _Hollyheart thought as she watched the scene unfold. She curled up in her nest, and was soon fast asleep.

----------------

A full moon hovered in the sky as Hollyheart followed Bramblestar and the rest of the Clan. Behind her, Muskedfur, Molepelt, Ivyflower, Silverpaw and Pepperpaw were coming fast. Brightheart and Sandstorm were also there, along with Kerntail. Hollyheart was pleased with the amount of warriors Bramblestar had chosen - it would show that ThunderClan was still strong and would remain strong through even the toughest leafbare.

She waited at the edge of the hill that led down into the island, alongside Bramblestar. He was finishing grooming his fur, but Hollyheart could see in his movements a determination. Bramblestar was determined to stop Snakeclaw almost as much as she was, especially since it meant that there would be peace amongst the Clans after he was brought down. Suddenly Hollyheart wondered whether or not Russetstar would be there. _Or would Snakeclaw really be devious enough to come instead? _She wondered as she stared down at the island. She saw that RiverClan and WindClan were already there.

The thought of RiverClan made her think of her friend Shellspots. The blue-gray she-cat had been in the nursery the last couple of times Hollyheart was at the Gatherings. Bramblestar let out a fierce yowl, and the group of cats bounded down the hill. Hollyheart was the first to cross the tree-bridge, then the rest of the warriors followed. She watched as Muskedfur followed Silverpaw to a group of WindClan warriors, and suppressed a smile. He was certainly taking his job seriously.

"Hollyheart!" She turned to stare at the slim blue-gray shape of Shellspots. Hollyheart let out a cry of delight and bounded over to her.

"Shellspots, it's great to see you!" She purred. Shellspots nodded, and her blue eyes gleamed with pride. Hollyheart watched in surprise as three apprentices bounded over, each looking like their mother, and yet they had different markings. One was a tortoiseshell-and-gray she-cat with the same blue eyes as Shellspots, while the other was a small white tom, who had splotches of gold in his fur. The other was a light brown tabby she-cat with white paws and green eyes. "Are these your kits?" She asked.

Shellspots nodded. "This is Bluepaw," her tail pointed to the tortoiseshell-and-blue she-cat. Bluepaw dipped her head and looked slightly embarrassed to be the center of attention. "This is Troutpaw," her tail pointed to the small white tom with gold patches. "And this is Talonpaw," her tail pointed to the light brown tabby she-cat.

Hollyheart let out a loud purr. She was so glad to see that her friend was well, and there was no need to guess who their father was. Hollyheart had noticed that Pouncetail was staring at Shellspots with eyes that were bright with pride. Her whiskers twitched in amusement. RiverClan had their work cut out for them if they wanted to take care of these kits. Troutpaw flicked his tail and padded over to join a couple of older RiverClan warriors, while Bluepaw followed him. Talonpaw bounded over to talk to Pepperpaw, and Hollyheart could tell that they would be great friends.

Suddenly a yowl came from the tree-bridge. Hollyheart and Shellspots turned to see Snakeclaw bounding forward, with a large group of warriors at his side. "Cats of all Clans, I have dreadful news!" He yowled. Hollyheart stared in dismay as Lionblaze, Cragfur and Mossfoot emerged from the group of cats. She also recognized Crowfeather, and Beetlefur of RiverClan. What had Snakeclaw done to these cats? "I think it's time to show you the true power of what I am capable of, because I have come with a proposition." Snakeclaw flicked his tail, and Weaselfur stepped out with a small kit in his jaws. Hollyheart was shocked to see that the kits' flank was covered in blood. It let out a terrified wail as Weaselfur threw it on the ground.

Sedgepelt, a light brown tabby queen, ran to the kits side, her eyes wide with terror and grief. "What have you done to Hawkkit?" She demanded in a shrill voice.

"This is what will happen to those who appose me. Your little kit made a useful tool to me." The dark brown tabby looked down at Sedgepelt, and she let out a low whimper.

"Just what do you think you will accomplish from this?" Mistystar demanded. The gray she-cat had jumped down from the Ancient Oak, and was glaring at Snakeclaw with icy blue eyes.

"I wish for all of the Clans to work for me," Snakeclaw replied simply. "Think about it, if we form one super Clan, we will be unstoppable." His eyes gleamed with malice as he stared at everyone.

Hollyheart closed her eyes for a moment. _StarClan why are you letting him do this? _She wondered as she opened them and looked at the sky. The moon was still shining as brightly as ever, but its light was cold. Was this what she had been waiting for? Was this the night she would finally have to face Snakeclaw, and defeat him once and for all?


	44. Chapter 41

**Wow, I can't believe that I have over 120 reviews! I think I might start doing the happy dance! Anyways,  
please continue reading and review!**

**~Dreamsong**

**

* * *

**

~Chapter 41~

Hollyheart gasped in horror as Lionblaze approached Hawkkit. Was he going to kill Sedgepelt's kits? She could only stand there as the golden tabby, and former deputy unsheathed his claws. But what he did next surprised her even more. Lionblaze whirled around and faced Snakeclaw with glowing, hate-filled amber eyes. "Because of you, I lost everything. My mate, my kits, and my Clan," he spat. "You don't deserve to live." He lunged at Snakeclaw, but another cat leaped in the way.

There was a cloud of dust surrounding them, and Hollyheart could only hear their screeching. Hollyheart glared at the cloud dust, which was dispersing now. She gasped when she saw that Lionblaze crouched in the center, in front of a massive tabby tom with a battle scarred nose. Part of the tabbys' ear was missing, and there was also a scar on his eye.

"This ends now kittypet," the tabby hissed. Hollyheart closed her eyes. She didn't want to watch as she listened to the battle. The tabby had attacked Lionblaze with his massive claws unsheathed. She could hear the sound of fur ripping, and then smelled blood. When she opened them, Hollyheart saw with dismay Lionblaze's body, covered in blood. His amber eyes gazed at nothing. Her father was dead.

A wail sounded from the group of cats who had witenessed the attack. Hollyheart looked around to see Bramblestar, whose eyes were filled with horror. The dark brown tabby pushed his way through the throng of cats and glared at Snakeclaw with a bitter look.

"Why should we ever listen to you?" He snarled. More cats began to murmur in agreement, and Hollyheart slowly realized that they were surrounding Snakeclaw. But she knew that this battle wouldn't be easily one, no matter how much she wanted it to be. Lives would be lost, and in the end, how many cats would survive?

Snakeclaw curled his lips in a snarl and glared at Bramblestar with cold amber eyes. "Perhaps I should give you a lighter reflection. Do any of you fools remember Tigerstar, the great leader of ShadowClan?" His voice was low and threatening, and it sent a shiver through Hollyheart. She had never given it much thought. She was the only one who knew of Bluestar's secret; she had been reincarnated in the hopes that she would defeat Snakeclaw. When no one replied to his question, Snakeclaw continued. "Well, then this might be more shocking then you think. _I _am Tigerstar."

Yowls of disbelief spread through the clearing, and Hollyheart shook her head. So it was true then. Tigerstar had figured out a way to come back to life, and now he wanted to take out his revenge on the Clans who had turned on him. And what was worse, was that he had gathered an army of warriors and rogues to fight alongside him. Snakeclaw truly was, Tigerstar's shadow.

Before she could say anything, she heard Bramblestar's fierce yowl come from the behind her. It was then that Hollyheart remembered that Tigerstar had been Bramblestar's father. She could only imagine the pain and fury that he felt towards Tigerstar.

"You are all fools if you think you can defeat me again," Snakeclaw spat. "And there is _one _cat who I will take down with me." He glared at Hollyheart with malitious amber eyes. She tried her best not to shake with fear. He was about to reveal a secret that she had kept hidden for many moons.

But just as Snakeclaw was about to leap at her with his claws unsheathed, Crowfeather and Beetlefur leaped at him. The two toms snarled at the dark brown tabby and knocked him to the side. "That's enough Snakeclaw!" Crowfeather snarled.

When Hollyheart looked at his blue eyes, she saw something different about them. She saw...freedom. Snakeclaw twisted and narrowed his eyes at them. He flicked his tail, and two rogues stepped out from the group of cats who had gathered around him. Hollyheart watched in horror as a brown tabby she-cat lunged at Crowfeather, and tore at his throat. The dark gray warrior hardly had the chance. The second rogue, which was a ginger-and-white tom lunged at Beetlefur. But Hollyheart was relieved to see that Beetlefur was fast. The white tom leaped to the side as the ginger-and-white rogue lashed out with extended claws, but as he did so, Snakeclaw knocked him to the side. Given the chance, the ginger-and-white tom leaped on top of Beetlefur and bit down hard. Hollyheart watched in horror as he let out an ear-splitting scream that was quickly cut off.

"Now you see the full extent of my power," Snakeclaw growled as he looked down at Crowfeather and Beetlefur's bodies. "I will give you two days to decide what you will do. But make sure you choose wisely." He narrowed his eyes at Bramblestar, then looked at his group of rogues, and padded away.

All Hollyheart could do was stare at her father. Lionblaze had been a good fighter and father, and he had done everything he could to help his Clan. And Snakeclaw took all of that away. Hollyheart flexed her claws on the ground, and began to tare at the grass. _I will do what ever it takes to stop that good for nothing piece of crow-food! _She thought to herself. Even if it meant her life.

"We must decide what to do," Bramblestar meowed when everyone had gathered around Lionblaze's body.

"We will fight him," Mistystar mewed. Her voice was filled with determination, and her blue eyes gleamed with cold fury. Hollyheart knew she was thinking of Beetlefur.

Ashstar slowly approached. Her amber eyes were filled with anger, but they no longer held the crazed look Hollyheart remembered when she last saw the gray she-cat. "I will also fight. My warriors have faced fear and hunger before." She glanced back at Crowfeather's body, and Hollyheart suddenly remembered that Crowfeather had been her son.

Bramblestar dipped his head to the two leaders. "Then we must speak with Russetstar and ask her for help," he said in a low voice.

The three leaders all nodded. Bramblestar turned to Lionblaze's body, and ordered two cats to carry it. Hollyheart immediately jumped at the offer, and worked alongside Cinderheart to carry his body back to camp. The sun was just beginning to rise when they returned. Hollyheart's heart had been pounding the whole time during the Gathering as she thought that at any moment, Snakeclaw might reveal her secret.

A yowl came from Jayfeather as the gray tabby emerged from the medicine cats' den. He had stayed behind to help take care of Firekit, who had stumbled on a thorn just before they were about to leave. _He must have recognized his brothers scent, _Hollyheart thought as she watched him run towards them.

"What happened?" He demanded.

"I will explain everything as you prepare the vigil," Bramblestar replied simply.

Jayfeather's eyes narrowed, but he did as Bramblestar told. He flicked his tail for Rainshower to come with him, and the blue-gray tom padded alongside him. Hollyheart stared after her friend, and suddenly wondered what he thought of all that happened. She spotted Silverpaw and Pepperpaw crouching next to Muskedfur, who kept a protective gaze fixed on them.

She couldn't help but purr. Muskedfur was finally acting more like a father now. She bounded over to them, and though her fur was bristling with fear and anticipation, she kept her head high. "Are you okay?" She asked.

"Why did he do that to poor Hawkkit?" Silverpaw asked. Her green eyes were filled with fear as she looked up at her mother.

"Snakeclaw is a malitious killer," Hollyheart replied. "He won't stop until he gets what he wants, and that's control over all the Clans." She gazed down at Silverpaw and let out a sigh. Her daughter had gotten wise over the last moon, thanks to Jayfeather and Rainshower.

Silverpaw nodded and followed Pepperpaw as her sister led the way back to the apprentices' den. Hollyheart looked up at Muskedfur and saw a look of fury cross his eyes. "I won't let that mouse-brain get away with what he did to Lionblaze," he snarled in a low voice.

"Let all cats old enough gather around the Highledge for a Clan meeting!" Bramblestar's yowl rang throughout the clearing. Hollyheart licked Muskedfur before padding over to the spot where all deputies sat. Most of the Clan had already gathered and were gazing up at Bramblestar with round eyes that were filled with fear and anxiety. "I have called you together this morning because of an important matter. Snakeclaw has challenged every Clan in the forest. We have been given two days before he decides to attack every Clan. I suspect he has more allies with him then he brought, so every Clan has agreed to help fight against him." The dark brown tabby glanced down at Hollyheart. "I need you to double Silverpaw and Pepperpaw's training. And I will send two warriors to speak with Russetstar. She did not come to the Gathering because of Snakeclaw's threat."

When no one spoke, Hollyheart rose to her paws. "Bramblestar, as your deputy I must ask you something," she meowed. He looked at her and nodded. "From what I've seen, Snakeclaw's cats can take down even a well trained warrior. So from now on, I want everyone to practice their fighting, that way we are more prepared." She paused for a moment. The Clan did need to practice fighting bigger cats who fought dirty. It was the only way they would survive. "And as for speaking with Russetstar, I would like to go with Squirrelflight." The dark ginger she-cat dipped her head. Her green eyes gleamed with excitement. Hollyheart realized that this could be Squirrelflight's last battle, along with Cloudtail, Brightheart, Thornclaw. Any one of them could die, fighting for their Clan. But one thing made Hollyheart certain, they were not about to back down without fighting back. Snakeclaw _would _die, and Hollyheart would make sure of it.


	45. Chapter 42

~Chapter 42~

Crickets chirped in the night as Hollyheart followed Silverpaw and Bramblestar. Tonight he had promised his apprentice to do extra battle training. Silverpaw's tail waved with excitement as she bounded at his side.

Hollyheart had noticed how much more excited her daughter got. Ever since she came from the medicine cats' den, Bramblestar had doubled her training.

"Alright, looks like Spiderleg and Molepelt are here already," Bramblestar meowed. Hollyheart glanced in his direction. Sure enough, the long legs of Spiderleg splayed out as Molepelt tried to knock him to the side. Two warriors had been chosen to go out each night, and tonight, Hollyheart had chosen them to come out.

Hollyheart knew that it would only be a matter of time before Snakeclaw made his next move, and she was determined to get the Clan into shape.

She watched as Spiderleg dodged to the side as Molepelt tried to trip him. The two of them were good, but they would need to learn how to fight dirty if they wanted to face Snakeclaw's army of rogues. The two of them glanced up from their training and looked at Bramblestar in surprise.

"Sorry, we'll move," Spiderleg mewed with a dip of his head. He stepped to the side, with Molepelt at his side.

Bramblestar nodded to them and flicked his tail. Immediately Silverpaw bounded forward. Her green eyes gleamed at the prospect of battle training as she watched Bramblestar perform a move. "Now this one's a little difficult," he warned her. "It took me almost a moon to learn it."

He ran in a circle, then lashed out a paw. After he lashed out his paw, he flicked his tail on the ground. Hollyheart had seen this move herself, what Bramblestar had tried to do was trip the invisible enemy. "Now lets see if you can do this one," Bramblestar called to Silverpaw.

She nodded and did the same thing he did. Only instead of flicking her tail, Silverpaw ended up rolling on the ground, squealing in surprise.

"It's okay," Bramblestar assured her. "You've done well despite the fact that you've been in the medicine cats' den for so long. Now lets try that one more time." Hollyheart watched as she tried again, this time, Silverpaw actually got it right. Her mentor let out a purr. "That's how you do that," he meowed. "It's a great way to surprise your enemy as you're dodging their move."

Both Spiderleg and Molepelt looked impressed. "It took me almost a moon and a half to perfect that move," Molepelt whispered to Spiderleg. The long-legged warrior nodded in agreement.

Hollyheart let out a huff of amusement. These two mouse-brains were acting as though Silverpaw was superior to them. _Well, she _has _gotten better, _she thought as she stared at her daughter's rippling muscles. Had Rainshower been secretly training her?

She knew that Rainshower recieved some offensive and defensive training from Jayfeather, though it must have been difficult since Jayfeather was blind.

Bramblestar rose to his paws and flicked his tail to Silverpaw. The silver tabby bounded forward and sat in front of him. "Perhaps one of you could show her what it's like to face a different warrior," he mewed to Spiderleg and Molepelt.

The two toms glanced at each other in surprise. It was rare to pair off an apprentice with a different warrior, but Hollyheart thought it would be good practice. And obviously Brambletar thought it would be as well.

Spiderleg stepped forward and nodded to Bramblestar. The dark brown tabby sat down beside Hollyheart, and she noticed that for once his eyes were gleaming with pride.

Bramblestar had never liked the idea of training Silverpaw. Hollyheart had suspected this when she saw the disappointment in his eyes when she suggested that Kerntail train Pepperpaw. Her other daughter was hyper and unruly, and she needed a cat who would take that as an advantage.

"Now I'm going to be a ShadowClan cat," Spiderleg called as he stood in front of Silverpaw. "I want you to do everything you can to get past me."

Before he had the chance to finish speaking, Silverpaw already dashed forward. Spiderleg knocked her to the side, easily forcing her to roll to the side. "Not so fast, and _prepare _your attack," he instructed.

Silverpaw blinked, then looked like she understood. She rose to her paws and stared at Spiderleg for a few heartbeats. Then she seemed to look at something else, though Hollyheart didn't know what it was.

The silver tabby dashed forward, but just as Spiderleg lashed out a paw, she dodged easily to the side and dashed towards a clump of ferns. Silverpaw stood there for a few heartbeats as Spiderleg looked around in confusion. Then when she saw the chance to attack, she leaped into the air and landed on his back with her claws sheathed.

Spiderleg yowled in surprise and stumbled a little. "That was really good," he muttered as Silverpaw's eyes gleamed with amusement.

"I've gotten better!" She mewed as she stared at Bramblestar. Her mentor nodded in agreement and purred.

"Soon you and Pepperpaw will be ready to face Snakeclaw," he meowed as he padded to her side.

Silverpaw suddenly looked more serious, and Hollyheart let out a sigh. The last thing she wanted was to watch her kits fight Snakeclaw's battle, but she knew that she would not be able to stop them. Since they were ready to become warriors, they wouldn't listen to her now if she asked them to not join the fight.

"Come on, tomorrow I'll train you harder," Bramblestar murmured as he tried to hide a yawn.

Hollyheart rose to her paws and followed the group as they headed back to the hollow. She blinked in surprise as Cinderheart and Muskedfur padded towards them. "We're goind to practice our moves," Cinderheart explained. Muskedfur licked Hollyheart's cheeck, and she let out a soft purr. Even seeing her mother and mate in the battle would be hard.

Muskedfur and Cinderheart carried on. Hollyheart knew that they would refuse to listen to her if she asked them not to fight. _Is this what being a warrior means? _She wondered solemnly. _To lose the ones you love?_

She bowed her head as she remembered Lionblaze's death. He had been controlled by Snakeclaw, used like a puppet. But in the end, her father broke the control. But it also cost him his life. Had StarClan forgiven him for what had happened?

As Hollyheart followed Bramblestar and the others back into the hollow, her thoughts were consumed about the future battle. What would happen if they lost? Snakeclaw would kill anyone who refused him - Tigerstar had done the same. And not to mention what he would do to those who fought in the battle.

They _had _to win. Hollyheart glared at her paws, her mouth set in hard determination. She would make sure that they won, no matter what.

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**Ah filler chapters. You gotta love them. Well, this chapter was a bit slow, and I'm sorry about that. The next chapter will definately be longer,  
and sort of sad. Oh, and there's a poll on my profile and I hope that you will vote! Anyways, that's about it, please leave a REVIEW!**

**~Dreamsong**


	46. Chapter 43

**Wow, I've almost got 130 reviews! Anyways, here's the chapter everyone's been hoping for, but I will not tell you what it is about. Now, I  
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Brightflame, you rock flareon200! Oh, and special thanks to Warriors: Skywing for making the book cover! Again, PLEASE leave a review,  
I will REALLY appreciate it!**

**~Dreamsong**

* * *

~Chapter 43~

Wind rolled over the lake as Hollyheart and the whole of ThunderClan slinked through the forest. Another day of battle training had passed, and today was the day they would face Snakeclaw, no matter how much Hollyheart preferred not to.

Silverpaw and Pepperpaw were chattering excitedly, while Leapordblaze's tail tip twitched with anxiety. "Stop acting like chittering squirrels," he snapped. Despite the harsh tone in his voice, Hollyheart had begun to notice the looks of affection he gave Silverpaw. Was it her imagination, or did it seem like Leapordblaze had a crush on her?

Mousewhisker, Berrynose and Emberfoot stayed behind. Bramblestar had told them to stay, just in case Snakeclaw was planning on attacking the camps as well. Bramblestar seemed to know Snakeclaw better then any other cat, and Hollyheart was relieved of that. At least it meant that one cat would know what he was up against.

Thornclaw was staying close to Blossomwhisker; the pale brown she-cat was quivering with anxiety. This would be Blossomwhisker's first real battle, and somehow, it made her look smaller then the other warriors.

But Hollyheart had made sure that she recieved the same amount of training as every other cat in the Clan, even the elders had trained harder then usual.

"Looks like Russetstar and Ashstar are already there," Muskedfur meowed as he padded over to Hollyheart's side. She followed his gaze, and sure enough, she picked out Russetstar's dark ginger form, along with Ashstar's gray one. "I wonder what's keeping RiverClan?" He muttered as they trekked on.

When they finally reached the island, they were greeted by Mistystar and Russetstar. Hollyheart was surprised to see how much better she looked. Her dark amber eyes gleamed with anticipation.

"I am looking forward to clawing out his fur," she growled.

_Lets just hope he doesn't claw out yours, _Hollyheart thought grimly. She looked up at Ashstar and saw that the gray she-cat was looking down at her Clanmates. Hollyheart was surprised to see Breezepelt sitting with her. Was he WindClan's new deputy?

She stalked through the large throng of cats. It looked like Russetstar and Ashstar had brought as many warriors as they could, though Hollyheart was beginning to wonder if it would be enough.

"Cats of all Clans!" Bramblestar's yowl rang throughout the clearing. Hollyheart glanced up at him, and saw that the two leaders had joined him. She looked past them and saw that Mistystar was coming quickly, with a stream of warriors following. "Today we are gathered here under a strong truce: To defeat the one enemy who has murdered cats from all Clans." Ashstar bowed her head, while Russetstar only rose her head.

Hollyheart watched as Mistystar leaped onto the Ancient Oak. She easily picked out Shellspots, who was padding alongside Reedwhisker and Pouncetail. She also spotted Pinefur, Duskfur and Rainstorm. But what she saw really surprised her. Voletooth was flanking Drizzlefern, a ginger she-cat whom Hollyheart had met a long time ago when she was an apprentice.

She had noticed that Drizzlefern hadn't been at the Gathering when Snakeclaw threatened the Clans, and she wondered if she had been in the nursery during that time. _Had she given birth? _She wondered.

"From what my warriors have seen, Snakeclaw has a strong army," Mistystar reported. RiverClan was the closest to ShadowClan. Hollyheart remembered all of the border skirmeshes every day. "We will have to wait and see what he has done to the other cats around the forest, who are not from the Clans."

As Mistystar spoke, the ferns behind the Ancient Oak began to shiver. Hollyheart flattened her ears as a large black-and-white tom with icy blue eyes slowly approached. He glared at the Clan cats and began to speak.

"Snakeclaw is coming, if those who wish not to have their throats taken out plan on fighting, I suggest you run like the cowards you are." Even his voice sounded like stone on stone.

Hollyheart shivered at the tone of his voice. She watched as more cats began to emerge from the ferns. Then, _he _came. His amber eyes gleamed with hatred as he stared at the Clans. He didn't even seem to notice the fact that just about every cat from each Clan was here.

The dark brown tabby lashed his tail and lifted his chin. "So, I see you have decided your fate," he snarled.

No one spoke as an eerie silence hung in the air. Snakeclaw remained where he was. He was obviously waiting for one of the leaders to fight. Finally Bramblestar stood up. "Snakeclaw, we are willing to risk our lives in killing you once and for all." His tone was threatening; if Hollyheart were Snakeclaw, she would have turned tail and run.

But instead of taking his warning, Snakeclaw flicked his tail. As if on cue, more cats approached from the ferns. Hollyheart stared in shock, and saw that these cats had studded collars around their necks.

"Those are kittypets!" Branchfoot hissed.

As Hollyheart continued to watch them cover the clearing, she gasped. Those 'collars' were studded with teeth! And some cats even had their claws covered in teeth. _What kind of cats are these? _She asked herself as she stared at them.

"Now, about that fight you were planning?" Snakeclaw growled. His face was filled with a sneer as he glared at every cat from the Clans. There was no doubt about it; this was one battle that could be lost.

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**Okay, I'm sorry it's sort of a crappy ending, but I wanted to add just one more chapter before the BIG event. Anyways, please  
leave a review. The poll is still up, so vote if you'd like!**

**~Dreamsong**


	47. Chapter 44

**Wow, you know what's sad? I was looking at that cool traffic story stat, and saw that Stars of Glory has over 3100 hits. If only people who  
click on this story could actually leave a review...oh well, at least I got 130 reviews now! And thanks to those who have reviewed,  
you all get...Pepperpaw plushies!**

**~Dreamsong**

**

* * *

**

~Chapter 44~

An eerie silence hung in the air as Hollyheart crouched with the others, awaiting their leaders' orders. Finally, she heard Ashstar's yowl. "WindClan, attack!" Yowls broke out from the WindClan warriors, and from all sides, Hollyheart saw them dash towards the strange rogues.

Almost at once she watched in horror as a tabby-and-white rogue slashed the throat of Harespring, who had run blindly towards him. The brown-and-white tom fell to the ground, blood spilling from the deep wound he had just recieved.

"ThunderClan, stay back, let them tire out first!" Bramblestar ordered.

Ashstar narrowed her eyes, but nodded. It was a good tactic, Hollyheart thought, so long as the rogues didn't figure a way to stop them. Slowly WindClan's defensive line began to fall, and Mistystar called out her attack.

Hollyheart felt her heart wrench as she watched Shellspots and Pouncetail leap at two large rogues. They didn't see the attack coming, and were surrounded by four RiverClan warriors. She was amazed by how skilled they were. Pouncetail lashed out long unsheathed claws and slashed one of the rogues' nose. With a screech of pain, the rogue sped away back from where it came from, with a trail of blood following him. Hollyheart quickly spotted Kestrelwing going towards Harespring, who was still surprisingly breathing. The mottled gray tom was moving fast as he tried to move Harespring's body from the battle field.

But as he moved, another large rogue loomed over him with bared teeth. But Hollyheart let out a sigh of relief as Reedwhisker leaped at the rogue with his teeth bared as well. The black warrior twisted and snarled as he kept hold on the rogues' back. With another roll of his back claws, the rogue screeched in pain, just like the rogue Pouncetail had attacked, and dashed away, never to be seen again.

She nearly leaped out of her fur when she heard Bramblestar's yowl. "ThunderClan, attack!"

Hollyheart raced into the battle, with her Clanmates close behind her. She didn't move as blindly as the WindClan warriors had, it was a foolish thing to do, especially with so many rogues around. Her main target was the clump of dark brown tabby fur that sat on a large boulder, staring madly into the battle.

_He's enjoying this! _Hollyheart realized as she watched his eyes gleam with satisfaction. She narrowed her eyes and flattened her ears. This is where it would trully end.

The black she-cat bounded towards him, but her way was blocked by the biggest rogue she had ever seen. He was almost as big as a badger, and had the same looks as one. Hollyheart could only stare at him. He was impossibly big, and...she didn't want to think of what he ate.

The huge cat rose a massive paw, and hit her hard on the head. Hollyheart felt her ears ring as she stumbled. The blood roared in her ears as she tried to get her barings. This cat might be impossibly huge, but he had a disadvantage.

He glowered at her as she dodged to the side, when he tried to bite her tail. She continued to dodge, until they were close to the island's edge. Hollyheart gasped as he bit down on her scruff. His teeth penetrated her skin, and she felt blood splatter on the ground.

_StarClan help me! _She wailed silently as she felt her life being drained from her.

Suddenly a screech sounded from somewhere. Hollyheart opened her eyes a little to see that a falcon was swooping towards them with its talons extended. The large black-and-white cat stood there, still holding on to her, looking at the falcon, dumbfoundedly.

The falcon raked its talons on his back, and the black-and-white cat let out a yowl of pure pain. The falcon continued to rake mercilessly, until the large cat stumbled over the edge. Hollyheart yowled as she followed him, but gasped when she felt the falcon catch her.

"We would be more then happy to help," she heard it cry. And as it did so, more birds of all types came after the rogues. Hollyheart stared at them in amazement. _My powers, they came back, _she realized as she watched.

The rogues were yowling in surprise as the birds attacked them, and she heard yowls of triumph come from her Clanmates. Hollyheart turned to find out what damage had been done, and she saw that almost everyone had gone unscathed.

But to her horror, there were a couple of warriors from each Clan who suffered many injuries, while there were others who didn't bother getting up. She looked around for her one enemy, the one cat who had caused so much devastation.

Snakeclaw stood up, gaping at the birds. His eyes were narrowed when he saw Hollyheart. She stood there as he pounded towards her with his claws outstretched. _This is it, _she thought as she stared at him. _The battle we've been waiting for._

The dark brown tabby lunged at her, grabbed her by the scruff where the huge black-and-white cat had grabbed her. Hollyheart gasped in pain as the blood continued to poor out, but she ignored it.

She lashed out a single, needle sharp claw at his belly. Snakeclaw dodged to the side easily, but it had been a bluff. Now that he let go of her, Hollyheart leaped to her paws, though she winced as the pain lanced through her.

Hollyheart let out a fierce battle cry that could be heard all over the island. Snakeclaw snarled at her, his face twisted in cold fury. But Hollyheart was no longer afraid of him. In fact, she thought of him as nothing but a mouse-brained fool if he thought he could take over the Clans.

She swiped a paw again, this time meeting her mark. Snakeclaw yowled as a wound opened on his belly. He glared at her, and she could almost feel the hatred coming off of him.

"Do you really want to kill me?" Snakeclaw hissed. "After all, I know your secret. I could tell the entire Clans." His eyes narrowed menacingly, but Hollyheart did not flinch. Instead, she raised another paw, and slashed his nose.

Snakeclaw didn't flinch either. Instead, he only lashed out just as much as she did, but Hollyheart knew he was tiring. And, she was as well. _How long can we keep this up? _She wondered as she continued to dodge his blows.

Finally, as if the effort had cost him, Snakeclaw collapsed to the ground. Hollyheart could only stare at him. Should she kill him? It would go against the warrior code, wouldn't it? But suddenly, she felt a pelt brush hers. "Do it now, save the forest." She looked up to see Bluestar staring at her with bright blue eyes.

Hollyheart nodded, though she couldn't bring herself to think of what it would be like to taste a cats' blood. She leaped down and bit down hard at his neck. Snakeclaw let out a piercing yowl that was soon gurgled. He struggled under her crushing weight, but then, he stopped. Hollyheart looked down at his body, and saw that he was dead.

The greatest threat in the forest, was dead. And now, the battle was over. Every she looked, there were Clanmates. Hollyheart was relieved when she saw Muskedfur standing next to Cinderheart, Silverpaw and Pepperpaw. She also spotted Shellspots sitting next to Pouncetail. Her friends eyes were gleaming with pride.

The black she-cat padded over to them and rubbed her face to Cinderheart. "You did it," she murmured. "You saved the forest."

But as Hollyheart looked around, she noticed that one Clanmate was missing. "Where's Bramblestar?" She demanded.

Suddenly Cinderheart's eyes darkened with sorrow. "He was...killed by one of the rogues as he helped defend Silverpaw," the gray tabby explained. Silverpaw bowed her head and looked sullen.

"Hollyheart," Ashstar's meow surprised her. She turned to see the gray she-cat padding towards them, with most of the WindClan warriors following. "I was wondering if...we could just hold our warriors' vigils here tonight." Her suggestion caught Hollyheart off guard. Ashstar had been crazed by the lack of prey in her territory the last couple of moons, and ever since Whitetail died, she got worse. But now, she was acting like a true leader.

"That sounds like a good idea," Hollyheart replied. "But I want to go back to camp and check on the elders and Icestorm." She paused for a moment. They could just as easily come back. "But we'll come back," she added.

Ashstar dipped her head and turned away to sit with her fallen Clanmates. Hollyheart stared in surprise when she saw that one of them was Antpelt. The brown tom had been a good fighter, and it seemed like he had a good future ahead of him. The other cat who was layed at his side was Sparrowfeather, Eagleheart's sister. Hollyheart bowed her head one more time. _How would Eagleheart take the news? _She wondered as she stared at the WindClan cats.

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**So what did you think of that massive battle scene? I thought it was rather interesting, considering the falcons helped them. Anyways,  
as you probably are realizing, this story is almost over. So if you have any questions about the next book, please send me a message^^**

**~Dreamsong**


	48. Chapter 45

~Chapter 45~

Hollyheart winced as she led the Clan back to camp. She looked back over her soulder, and even that her. The wound that Snakeclaw and the large black-and-white cat had given her was beginning to worsen, and if she didn't get it looked at soon, she was afraid she wouldn't make it back. _Like Spiderleg, Bramblestar or Mudtalon. _Three brave cats had been lost during the battle. It was a terrible blow for ThunderClan, and what was worse, Bramblestar was dead. That meant Hollyheart would have to go to the Moonpool tomorrow night to recieve her nine lives, and she would also have to choose her next deputy.

"Are you okay?" Cinderheart's worried mew made her jump. Hollyheart turned to see the gray tabby looking at her with concern glittering in her blue eyes.

"I'll be fine when I know everyone is okay," she replied simply.

She ignored Cinderheart's exhasperated sigh and continued to lead them home. Stars were gleaming in the night sky, but they seemed cold and far away. Hollyheart was sure that StarClan were watching, but did they approve the fact that she killed a warrior like Snakeclaw?

Thoughts of the murderous dark brown tabby made her shiver. Snakeclaw had tried to take over the Clans, and he had asked a group of rogues which Hollyheart realized were called BloodClan to attack the Clans. It had only been thanks to her powers that the Clans were able to defeat Snakeclaw and his goons from taking over.

"They're here!" Emberfoot's cry could be heard from the camps' entrance. The gray warrior had taken his job seriously, and Hollyheart was grateful that he was now becoming more and more like a ThunderClan cat.

Unlike most WindClan cats, Emberfoot and Eagleheart were used to thick undergrowth and trees. In fact, they had started hunting more often then before, when they first joined the Clan.

When she emerged from the undergrowth and headed into the clearing of camp, Hollyheart heard a sharp cry come from Rainshower. She sighed in annoyance as the blue-gray tom bounded towards her with a large bundle of herbs in his jaws.

Rainshower always cared for her more then other cats did. Hollyheart knew that it was because he had been like a brother to her when they were kits. Rainshower of all cats had been her best friend, and she told him almost everything when she was upset.

"What happened to you?" He demanded as he began to apply marigold and goldenrod. Hollyheart winced as they began to sting.

"I'll explain everything when everyone is together," she replied as the Clan began to poor through the entrance.

The medicine cat glared at her, but she ignored it. When he finished applying her herbs, he went on to work on Thornclaw's wounds. He had recieved a nasty scratch on his right eye, and part of his left ear was torn. The golden brown tabby seemed to be relieved that he was getting treated, unlike the other warriors.

Hollyheart's whiskers twitched in amusement as Jayfeather stumbled after Kerntail, who had twisted her paw during the battle. The young she-cat was faster then she looked, but Jayfeather finally pinned her down and insisted on taking the herbs.

About a few heartbeats later, when the Clan was healed, Hollyheart leaped onto the Highledge. Though her shoulder and neck hurt, she did her best to ignore the pain and tried to look strong in front of her Clan.

"Let all cats old enough gather around the Highledge for a Clan meeting!" She yowled, though she really didn't have to. Most cats had already gathered around the center of the clearing, and were all looking at Hollyheart expectantly.

Icestorm emerged from the nursery and went straight over to Lynxclaw. He was lucky; he only recieved a couple of wounds. Hollyheart watched as her brother licked his mate gently. Icestorm mewed something to him, and he nodded, surprise flicking in his eyes. _What was that about? _Hollyheart wondered.

But she carried on with the meeting, news of the vigil that was taking place had to be heard. "I am saddened to say that we have lost three brave cats who should have lived far longer then they did," she meowed. "Spiderleg, Mudtalon and Bramblestar have gone to hunt with StarClan." Her green eyes gleamed with sorrow at the mention of Bramblestar. He had been a great leader, just like Firestar and Bluestar. But she had to stay strong for her Clan. "Tonight, cats from all Clans are staying at the island to sit vigil for their fallen Clanmates. We will do the same, once everyone is ready."

With that, she leaped down from the Highledge. Hollyheart heard Sandstorm mutter something to Dustpelt. "Firestar had been Bramblestar's mentor," the pale ginger she-cat murmured. Hollyheart flashed her a warning glance. Sandstorm of all cats had been through a lot.

She lost her mate, and her kit. And her two grandkits. Hollyheart knew that she was having a hard time. She padded over to Sandstorm and licked her shoulder gently. "Bramblestar and Firestar were the best leaders we could have ever asked for," she mewed in a soft tone.

Sandstorm's eyes glowed with pride. She purred and led Dustpelt, who blinked in confusion and surprise, towards the entrance. Longtail also decided to join them, though he was stumbling the whole way.

"Cragfur, would you please guide him," Hollyheart called to the pale gray tom. He and Mossfoot had joined the Clan after Lionblaze was murdered by Snakeclaw. They both said the same thing he had cried during the Gathering: They had both been under Snakeclaw's influence. Cragfur nodded and bounded towards Longtail's side, who was looking at his paws the whole time.

Hollyheart looked around. Icestorm and Lynxclaw were staying behind, so she made sure that there were three warriors stationed at camp, just in case the rogues decided to ambush them. Brightflame and Tawnypelt were also following them, with their kits in check. Tawnypelt had given birth during the battle, which was why the medicine cats had to stay behind.

Suddenly Hollyheart wondered what Tawnypelt thought about Bramblestar's death. She had been his sister after all, and she had been very close to him.

"Is everyone ready?" She called as she headed towards the entrance. When every cat was appointed for, Hollyheart led the way back to the island.

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The air was cool and crisp as Hollyheart sat in front of Bramblestar's fallen body. He had been killed by one of the rogues. She realized that it would have sliced his throat apart in one, just like it did to Antpelt. She was pleased to hear that Harespring would be okay, but the brown-and-white warrior was still on the rough road of recovery.

She glanced at Russetstar, who was speaking quietly to Brightflame. Apparently, Flowerpetal had started to give birth just as they came back from the battle. That was why Icestorm had shared a coupld of words with Lynxclaw, who looked surprised. The dark ginger she-cat padded over to Hollyheart and dipped her head. Russetstar's eyes glowed with sympathy and appreciation.

"The thanks of ShadowClan go with you," she meowed. "If it hadn't been for you, our queens would have been either killed, or turned into slaves used against us."

Hollyheart blinked in surprise. Russetstar rarely thanked any cat, except for her own Clanmates. She dipped her head as well, for respect to the ShadowClan leader. "Thank you for fighting wth us," she murmured. "And we will escort Flowerpetal and her kits back to your Clan when they are ready."

Russetstar nodded and padded back to sit vigil. Crowfrost, a black-and-white tom with blue eyes had been killed, along with Lizardtail, who had been one of Snakeclaw's closest companions. Hollyheart almost felt sorry for the pale tabby. Lizardtail would have been a good warrior, had she not been blinded by Snakeclaw and his ambition. And ShadowClan lost a good warrior in Crowfrost, who did nothing wrong but prove his loyalty to his Clan by dying for them.

She stared at Bramblestar's body and sighed. Life was not going to be the same without him. All her life she had expected to be the leader when she was older and wiser, but now, she wasn't sure if she could lead the Clan. But Hollyheart also knew that ThunderClan would need a strong leader to guide them if they were to pull through this leafbare.

The night was long and cold, but Hollyheart was glad that every cat from each Clan was there to help comfort each other. Tomorrow, she would no longer be a deputy. She would come home as a leader, and perhaps a stronger cat.


	49. Chapter 46

**Okay, I'm really bored. I've already written two chapters today, and this one is my third. I'm sorry for updating so quickly, I ammmm really bored. I just wanted to let you know that there are only four chapters to go, one of them the epilogue. So anyways, PLEASE leave a REVIEW!**

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~Chapter 46~

Wind ripped through Hollyheart's fur as Rainshower led her to the Moonpool. Jayfeather had to stay behind because he was working on a wound Squirrelflight had recieved during the battle. The dark ginger she-cat had been suffering more then any cat from Bramblestar's death, because he had been her mate.

But Hollyheart already knew what it was like to lose someone you loved. She had thought that she lost Muskedfur, but in the end, he chose to come back to her.

"Are you ready?" Rainshower asked. The blue-gray tom was standing on the slope that led down to the Moonpool. She could hear the sounds of the stream gurgling nearby, and flicked her ear.

She nodded. Hollyheart didn't really need to say much; Rainshower always seemed to know exactly what she was thinking. Hollyheart followed him down the slope, and stared at the Moonpool in amazement.

The black she-cat had only been here once, when she was an apprentice. That was when she had first learned of her power, when Bluestar told her everything.

Hollyheart shivered as she remembered that day. She followed Rainshower towards a small island that jutted out into the Moonpool. It's water gleamed silver as the moon hovered over it. She was vaguely aware of the fact that Rainshower had touched her gently with his tail tip.

"Now you must lap up the water, and StarClan will send you into a dream," he meowed in a gentle voice.

She did as he instructed, and lapped the icy cold water. Hollyheart shivered as the ice tingled through her spine. She closed her eyes, and quickly fell asleep.

The sounds of the forest echoed through Hollyheart's ears. She opened her eyes, and gasped in astonishment. Hollyheart was standing in the clearing of ThunderClan camp, and stars gleamed in the sky. But she was surprised that there was no moon.

Hollyheart stared at the sky for a moment, her eyes clouded in confusion. It looked as though the stars were moving in a circular line, dancing in the night sky.

Her thoughts were justified as the stars came towards her. Their bright lights grew brighter, until they almost blinding. But Hollyheart already knew what they were.

She stood still, and awaited for the stars to descend. And they did. Hollyheart gasped when she recognized Lightningpaw, the apprentice who had been murdered by Snakeclaw, Brackenfur, her former mentor and grandfather, Hazeltail, yet another cat who had been murdered by a ShadowClan warrior, and a few other cats who were lined up in the clearing.

The first cat to approach her was Spiderleg, the long-legged black warrior who had died during the battle. He pressed his muzzle to her forehead and murmured, "with this life, I give you courage and nobility. Use it wisely to help your Clan." Hollyheart gasped in shock as a painful flash of energy flared through her body, wrenching her muscles and chest. She tried her best not to yowl in pain, and had to clutch the ground with her claws.

By the time the pain lanced away, another cat took Spiderleg's place. It was Hazeltail. She did the same as Spiderleg and murmured, "with this life I give you loyalty, so that you know what is right." This life wasn't as painful as the last. Hollyheart was surprised when she felt a wave of love rush through her, and she realized who the cat was that Hazeltail loved. It was Thornclaw, Brackenfur's brother.

Hazeltail quickly joined the group of StarClan warriors. Hollyheart watched as Millie, the striped gray tabby who had died from greencough approached. Millie had grieved for a long time after Graystripe died, and Hollyheart believed that her death had led to that. "With this life, I give you justice, so that you may judge your Clan fairly." As she pressed her muzzle to Hollyheart's forehead, she felt a harsh flash rush through her. Hollyheart suddenly realized that Millie had always lived in fear, because of her kittypet roots. But she never thought of Millie as a weak cat. In fact, Hollyheart thought that Millie was the strongest after helping nurse her kits after Graystripe died.

As the pain was gone, Hollyheart found herself panting hard. _How can I go on with this? _She wondered as she tried to catch her breath. A new cat was coming to her, and this time it was Graystripe himself. His yellow eyes gleamed with excitement as he stared at her. "With this life, I give you endless energy, so that you may serve your Clan to the utmost." He pressed his muzzle to her forehead, and all of a sudden, Hollyheart felt as though she could run forever.

The light ebbed away, and Hollyheart stood up. She stared in surprise as Whitetail, the WindClan deputy padded to her. She had helped Whitetail when WindClan were short of prey. Thanks to her, WindClan was now hole and healthy. "With this life, I give you the urge to protect your Clan as though it were your kits." She pressed her muzzle to Hollyheart's forehead, and she pressed forward eagerly. But what Hollyheart thought would be enjoyable, ended up being horrifying. She gasped in shock as she felt claws rake her back, as though a cat were desperately trying to protect itself. Now she understood what this meant. Whitetail had wanted to protect her Clan so fiercely that she was willing to give her life for it, which was what she had done.

She shook herself as Lightningpaw approached her. The young apprentice's eyes gleamed with starlight, and she suddenly looked wise beyond age. "Lightningpaw I'm so sorry," Hollyheart mewed. She wished that she could have helped Lightningpaw. The pale ginger she-cat could have been a strong, brave warrior, but instead she died under the claws and teeth of Snakeclaw. Anger surged through her as she remembered the dark brown tabby. She would make sure that no cat would ever end up like him, again.

But Lightningpaw flicked her tail over Hollyheart's mouth. "Hush," she whispered. "It could not be stopped." She stepped forward and pressed her muzzle on Hollyheart's forehead, making the black she-cat relax. "With this life, I give you the gift of mentoring cats. Use it wisely to guide your Clan." As pain lashed out on Hollyheart, she felt a pain sharper then when she felt Whitetail's life. _Is this what Lightningpaw felt when Snakeclaw killed her? _She wondered as she winced from the sharp pain.

Lightningpaw was quickly replaced by Brackenfur, whose eyes gleamed with so much pride that Hollyheart was sure he would burst from it. "With this life, I give you the gift of love. Use it to help guide Silverpaw and Pepperpaw." He pressed his muzzle to her forehead, and Hollyheart felt a hot wave of friendship flash through her. She was almost sad when she found that the flash was edging away.

Soon Leafpool took Brackenfur's place. The light brown tabby stared at her for a few heartbeats, and pressed her muzzle close to her fur. "Leafpool, I am sorry for what has happened to you," Hollyheart mewed.

Leafpool flicked her ears as if she didn't hear. "With this life, I give you the gift of compassion, so that you may look beyond Clan boundaries when there is trouble ahead." Her amber eyes gleamed as she pressed her muzzle to Hollyheart's muzzle. She felt a feeling of longing rush through her. Hollyheart's sight was almost blinded by it. _What did Leafpool long for? _She wondered as she gasped for air. But when Hollyheart looked up, she saw Leafpool padding towards a dark gray cat. And that cat was Crowfeather, a warrior from WindClan, who was sitting next to a light gray she-cat with bright blue eyes.

The cat who came up next almost made Hollyheart shudder with grief. She felt as though a stone had formed in her chest. Bramblestar had been around even before she was born. How could she cope with leading the Clan, when she couldn't even bare to stare at the face of her leader?

But as Bramblestar stepped forward, she felt a wave of grattitude. Hollyheart braced herself as he pressed his muzzle close to her forehead. "I knew I was right to choose you as my deputy," he whispered. "You were a young kit, who acted out when times were tough. But now you are a leader." Bramblestar's eyes gleamed with pride as he pressed his muzzle to her forehead. "With this life, I give you certainty and faith, so that you may lead the Clan in the way of the warrior code and all of your nine lives."

This life was not as painful as Hollyheart would have expected. And it surprised her when it quickly ebbed away. Hollyheart stared at her paws as the nine cats who had given her lives sat in front of her. "We must call you by your new name, for it no longer stands for what you are. From now on, you will be known as Hollystar." It sounded as if all of them had spoken at once, and Hollystar couldn't help but try out her new name.

"Hollystar! Hollystar!" The StarClan cats chanted.

Hollystar lifted her chin and gazed at them proudly. She closed her eyes for a couple of heartbeats, and when she opened her eyes, she found herself crouching in front of the Moonpool.

Rainshower was staring at her with wide eyes, and he padded over to her side. "How did it go Hollyheart?" He asked.

The black she-cat narrowed her eyes thoughtfully. "It's Holly_star _now," she answered cooly.

The blue-gray tom purred, unaware of the coolness in her tone. Hollystar flicked her tail and rose to her paws. She knew that she would have to appoint a new deputy soon - it would be completely against the warrior code if she did not.

"Come on, I want to get back," she meowed.

The two of them bounded through the forest in silence. As tired as she felt after recieving her nine lives, Hollystar was desperate to get back home. She wanted to see her mother, her mate, and her kits again. And she wanted to see her Clanmates.

By the time they reached camp, the moon slowly fell. Hollystar was surprised to see that Cragfur and Whitewing were guarding the camp entrance. The two of them looked at Hollystar and dipped their heads. She returned their gesture and padded into the clearing.

Everyone was still asleep, so Hollystar decided that this would be a good time to think of who her next depuy would be.

Just as she was about to head towards the warriors' den, she heard Rainshower cough slightly. Hollystar's fur prickled in embarrassment as she realized that she should have gone into the leaders' den.

The black she-cat padded towards it. When she poked her head in the entrance, she saw that either Silverpaw or Pepperpaw had laid out a mossy nest for her, and they caught a mouse as well. _I will have to thank them for it, _she thought as she looked at it.

She curled up in her nest after she finished eating the mouse; her stomache had been roaring in hunger the whole night. As a deputy going to recieve her nine lives, Hollystar had been told that they were not supposed to eat before they got to the Moonpool. So now that her belly was filled, she could think better.

Hollystar curled her tail over her nose, trying to warm it up. She felt uncomfortable being in such a small, empty den. Especially considering this was where Bramblestar had slept for so many moons.

She quickly went over the list of cats who would make great deputies. Brightheart would make a good choice, but most cats would give her a hard time, especially with the fact that she was blind in one eye. Kerntail would also make a good choice, but she was also young, and she might not want the job that meant so much to a Clan. Then a thought occured to her.

There was one cat who deserved the position more then anything. Hollystar had seen her work harder then any cat, and it made her fur prickle with anticapation. She couldn't wait to see the look on the cats' face when she discovered her plan. She soon fell asleep, satisfied with her decision.


	50. Chapter 47

**Eep three chapters to go! I can't believe that I have over 130 reviews! So, this is going to be hopefully a long chapter as well. Sorry if the last one was too long, I didn't want to waste another document.**

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~Chapter 47~

"Let all cats old enough gather around the Highledge for a Clan meeting!" Hollystar felt her paws tingle with anticapation as she used the familiar words that Bramblestar had used for so many moons.

She watched as the Clan gathered. Cinderheart, Thornclaw and Cloudtail deposited some fresh-kill on the pile and joined the group, while Dustpelt, Sandstorm and Longtail emerged from the elders' den to see what all of the fuss was about. Jayfeather and Rainshower also came out of the medicine cats' den, and Hollystar was surprised to see that Jayfeather was staring directly at her. Sometimes it seemed like he could actually _see._Silverpaw and Pepperpaw emerged from the apprentices' den, their eyes shining with excitement.

"I have gathered you here for two reasons. The first is that I must appoint a new deputy," Hollystar meowed. She noticed that every cat shuffled with eagerness, and Hollystar wondered if they knew what was coming. "I say these words, before the spirit of Bramblestar, so that he may hear and approve my choice. Cinderheart will be my deputy." She gazed down at the Clan, and stared into the shocked face of her mother.

Cinderheart looked as tough she might leap out of her fur. Hollystar knew she had chosen well. Not only was her mother a loyal and strong warrior, but she always knew what to do. Hollystar purred as the Clan chanted her name, as though she were a new warrior. "Cinderheart! Cinderheart!"

The gray tabby padded under the Highledge, looking slightly embarrassed to be the center of attention. She dipped her head. "I-I don't know what to say," she murmured. "Thank you Hollystar, I will serve my Clan as well as I can."

Hollystar looked around for one face in particular. She wondered how Muskedfur would take this, after all he had done everything he could to remain a loyal mate. Hollystar was pleased when she saw that he shared just as much affection as every other cat with Cinderheart. Even the older warriors, such as Squirrelflight, Cloudtail or Thornclaw didn't seem to mind. And she knew that one day they might have their chance, no matter how much it pained her to think that.

"And now for another important roll," Hollystar called as the Clan settled down. She looked down towards the nursery and could see Leafspots' kits bouncing around. Her eyes filled with sorrow at the thought of her friend. Leafspots had died giving birth to them, because she had taken a mate from another Clan. She looked at Emberfoot, who was also watching them carefully. He was supposed to act as though he was not their father, but she suspected that he was getting closer then he should to them. "It is time for one of my favorite duties. By naming apprentices we show that our Clan will remain strong. And StarClan knows we need them. Silverpaw and Pepperpaw have been working extra hard since they're the only apprentices."

Yowls of agreement spread throughout each cat. Silverpaw and Pepperpaw dipped their heads in embarrassment as they received attention. Hollystar purred and continued. "Come forward you three," she flicked her tail towards Firekit, Tanglekit and Lilackit. The three kits squealed in excitement and bounded towards the center of the clearing. But they were immediately stopped by Icestorm, who had been keeping an eye on them.

"You're not going out looking like ragdolls," the white she-cat called as she caught Firekit by the scruff. The golden brown tabby let out a squeal as she began to lick his fur clean. Twitching her whiskers in amusement, Hollystar waited until she was done with them.

"Lilackit, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Lilacpaw." Hollystar almost burst out laughing when the little tabby-and-white she-cat tried out her new name. It was good to see them so enthusiastic. "Lynxclaw, you are more then ready for your first apprentice. You are just as energetic as Lilacpaw, and you are strong and young. I expect you to pass this on to Lilacpaw." The black she-cat burst with pride as Lynxclaw stumbled towards Lilacpaw. He clearly had not expected to receive an apprentice at such a young age. Lilacpaw touched noses with him, and he quickly led her back to the group.

"Tanglekit, until you recieve your warrior name, you will be known as Tanglepaw. Sorreltail, you are more then ready for your first apprentice. You have gone through much over the last few seasons, and I expect you to pass on all that you have learned to Tanglepaw." The tortoiseshell-and-white she-cat's amber eyes gleamed with happiness as she trotted towards her apprentice. It was about time Sorreltail trained, she would need the experience.

The last to be named was Firekit. Hollystar watched him curiously. He was the most adventurous of the three, and yet he looked strangely calm as he waited to be named. "Firekit, until you have received your warrior name, you will be known as Firepaw. I will be your mentor." Firepaw's eyes gleamed with surprise as she leaped down from the Highledge to touch noses with him.

"Lilacpaw! Tanglepaw! Firepaw!" The Clan chanted their names, just as they had done with Cinderheart when she was named deputy.

As the meeting drew to an end, Hollystar padded over to Cinderheart to see how she was fairing. Already she was organizing a patrol, consisting of Birchfall, Foxwhisker and Ivyflower. The three cats padded out of camp, with Hollystar staring after them.

"Are things going well?" She asked.

Cinderheart dipped her head, looking as though she might burst with pride. "Yes," she replied. "Hollystar, I never thought that I would be made deputy. In fact, I always thought that I would just be a warrior, striving for the best." Her words were filled with wisdom, which surprised Hollystar. Cinderheart sometimes acted as though she knew more then she was letting on, and it made Hollystar wonder.

She padded over to Firepaw, who was speaking to Silverpaw and Pepperpaw. Hollystar suddenly felt a pang of sadness for Silverpaw. Bramblestar had been her mentor, and now he was dead. Who would continue their training? But then another thought occured to her. _They are ready to become warriors, _she thought as she stared at them. _Tomorrow I will hold an assessment for them, and then hold their ceremony._ So tomorrow, there would be two new warriors in the Clan. And those warriors would be her daughters.


	51. Chapter 48

~Chapter 48~

Hollystar could almost feel Firepaw's excitement as she showed him the territory. It was the day after their apprenticeship, and she had promised to take him out, along with Lynxclaw and Lilacpaw. Lynxclaw was leading the patrol towards the ShadowClan border, where it had been unusually quiet for the last couple of days. Russetstar had promised not to fight over borders for the next couple of moons so the Clans could live in peace and not fear. Though Hollystar was grateful for her promise, she wondered if the ShadowClan leader would keep to her word. They were usually sneaky and tended to fight dirty.

"What's that smell?" Firepaw asked as he wrinkled his nose. Hollystar's whiskers twitched for a moment. She had asked the same thing on her first day as an apprentice.

"That's the ShadowClan border," she explained.

Firepaw nodded, though his tail still flicked from place to place. Lilacpaw's eyes were wide with excitement when she looked at the abandoned Twoleg nest that was near the border. Hollystar couldn't tell whether or not it was from it was from curiosity or sheer stupidity, but the tabby-and-white she-cat stepped forward. Lynxclaw let out a yelp of surprise and bounded forward to stop his apprentice.

"You're not supposed to go there unless there's a good reason," he meowed.

Lilacpaw looked back at him, then nodded. "But I smelled a mouse," she murmured. "I thought it would be a good idea to try out my hunting skills."

_She's an odd little one, _Hollystar thought as she led the small group towards the Sky Oak. It was here that she caught her first prey, and here that she first learned of her power. Hollystar let out a sigh as she pictured the memories.

As she thought of them, she was completely unaware of the fact that Firepaw had caught a thrush, which had been hopping in the undergrowth, searching for food. "Well done Firepaw!" She purred when she realized he had come towards her.

The golden brown tabby stared at her with wide, proud eyes. After that their day had been pretty slow. Hollystar had run into Silverpaw and Pepperpaw, who were holding their assessment. The two of them had been doing very well apparently, and Hollystar had begun to notice that Silverpaw looked unusually plump. She had seen how close Silverpaw was to Leapordblaze, and wondered if Silverpaw was expecting kits.

By the end of the day, Hollystar felt fairly tired. She had also taken Firepaw out for some battle training. He had done well, considering it was his first day.

The sun was beginning to set as Hollystar leaped onto the Highledge. Silverpaw and Pepperpaw returned with a large amount of prey - prey that could last the Clan for a couple of days. "Let all cats old enough gather around the Highledge for a Clan meeting!" Hollystar yowled.

She watched as Berrynose, Poppyfrost and Mousewhisker approached the clearing. Whitewing, who had also begun to look rather large emerged from the warriors' den, closely guarded by Birchfall. Rosefoot and Bumblestripe also came from the warriors' den, while Briarleaf bounded towards the clearing from the fresh-kill pile. Squirrelflight and Cloudtail came back from a patrol and quickly approached. When the Clan was gathered, Hollystar allowed Kerntail and Muskedfur to gather up Silverpaw and Pepperpaw.

Hollystar felt a pang of sorrow as she realized that Bramblestar should be with them to guide Silverpaw towards her warrior ceremony. But she choked up the feeling and held her head high. This was the biggest occasion for her.

"I, Hollystar, leader of ThunderClan, call upon my warrior ancestors so they may look down upon these apprentices. They have trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend them to you as warriors in turn." She looked down at her two daughters and felt a burst of pride flash through her. "Silverpaw, Pepperpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code, and defend your Clan, even with your life?"

"I do," Pepperpaw's voice came out almost like a squeak. Hollystar hadn't even noticed the fact that she was bursting with excitement.

"I do," Silverpaw mewed in a more quiet tone.

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior names. Pepperpaw, from now on you will be known as Peppermint. StarClan honors you for your endless energy and excitement." Hollystar leaped down from the Highledge to press her muzzle on Peppermint's forehead. Peppermint licked her mothers' shoulder in return.

"Silverpaw, from now on you will be known as Silverpond. StarClan honors you for your courage and wisdom." Hollystar felt another rush of pride as she nuzzled Silverpond's shoulder.

"Peppermint! Silverpond! Peppermint! Silverpond!" The Clan chanted their names, and Hollystar joined in.

She watched as Leapordblaze padded over to Silverpond with a mouse in his jaws. She gratefully accepted it. Hollystar padded over to them and licked her cheek. "Now, according to tradition, you must sit vigil for one night."

Cloudtail arched his back and yawned. "Yeah, so we can all get a good night sleep," he murmured.

Hollystar shot him a hard stare. Cloudtail of all cats acted out more then anyone else. He always seemed to act before he thought. He noticed her stare and looked away. With a nod of satisfaction, Hollystar headed towards her den, where it felt oddly lonely. All she wanted to do right now was get as much sleep as she possibly could, for tomorrow would be another tough day of training.

Two days had passed since she became leader, and they had both been exceptionally well. She felt as though her heart had been torn in two when Bramblestar died, but Hollystar thought that she could at least live out the rest of her life as a strong, dependable leader, just like him. And it was all thanks to Bluestar, perhaps the greatest leader of ThunderClan.

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**Okay, I know I said there would be two more chapters, but I really didn't know what else to add. So up next will be the epilogue. Please leave a review so I know what you think of this story^^**


	52. Eplilogue

***Sigh* So here's the final chapter. The epilogue of the story. Oh, and did I mention it will be in another cats' point of view? Well, if I didn't then I'll tell you now. It'll be in Rainshower's point of view! Yay Rainshower actually plays a more important roll!**

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~Epilogue~

Stars gleamed in the night sky, as Rainshower padded out into the clearing. A moon had passed since Silverpond and Peppermint became warriors. He had been worried about Silverpond, since she was expecting Leapordblaze's kits, he wondered what they would be like. After all, her mother was the great Hollystar, who had defeated Snakeclaw in the epic battle that had led to Bramblestar's death.

He dipped his head as Cinderheart strolled past. The gray tabby had been a good deputy, something that the Clan needed more then anything right now. After the battle had passed, WindClan had grown more hostile once again. But in a way, he was relieved that things were back to normal. Ashstar was desperate to prove herself as a good leader, especially after she nearly went mad during their shortage of prey.

Rainshower sat alone in the clearing. The night air was cool, leafbare was coming fast. He knew that the Clan would need to hunt more then ever, and patrol more then ever if they were to survive the cold claws of leafbare.

Suddenly a light blazed across the sky. Rainshower gasped as the air crackled like lightning. He looked around, and saw a small pale ginger shape coming towards him. Rainshower had only seen this cat a couple of times, before she had been cruelly murdered by Snakeclaw. It was Lightningpaw, the young apprentice.

"Greetings young Lightningpaw. What brings you here?" He dipped his head respectfully.

Though she was young, Lightningpaw's amber eyes gleamed with wisdom beyond her age. "I have a message from StarClan that must be passed," she murmured in a gentle voice.

Rainshower narrowed his eyes thoughtfully. The Clan had been peaceful since Snakeclaw's death, what could it possibly be this time? He shuddered as Lightningpaw brushed her muzzle to his. "_Only the kin of Fire may save the Clan._"

Another shiver went through him as Lightningpaw's image faded. But as it faded, her words echoed in his ears. A new prophecy, and a new danger. Was that what Lightningpaw had warned him about?

As he padded back to the medicine cats' den, he glanced at the nursery. Silverpond was emerging, with her belly swaying the ground. Leapordblaze joined her and purred. Rainshower let out a stifled sigh. It looked as though the prophecy was right in front of him. With Lionblaze as Hollystar's father, and Firestar being Lionblaze's grandfather, that meant they were kin of the fire.

He closed his eyes and slowly began to sleep, with the prophecy still looming in his mind.

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**Woah, freaky wasn't it? Well, I for one liked this epilogue. So please leave a review. Actually, flamers are now welcome as well since this story is complete ;)**


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